Angels of Chaos
by crbrgmi
Summary: AU: Twenty years ago, Makarov and Laxus committed treason. Never did they realize just how dangerous letting a single girl live, especially when they raised her to be one of the most deadliest vampire hunters of their time. Now they face the consequences of their action when the Vampire King rises, and he hungers for Lucy's life-force.
1. Prologue

**AN: To kick this story off, please note that there are WARNINGS that I will post now. Please be advised: Adult themes are in the works, blood, sex, drugs, foul language, and crack pairings up the wazoo. Mature audiences only, please!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, but there are a few OC's that I do own (seriously, like I wrote a whole 3 part story a long time ago, and I plan on using characters from that story) so please don't steal my OC's. Everything Fairy Tail related belongs to Hiro Mashima.**

 **More notes at the bottom, but until then, please enjoy the prologue.**

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~Prologue~

The girl ran, faster than the average human of the age her body appeared, though her nightgown hindered her movement some. She ran as if there was physical form to the angry mob that chased her inside her mind. Well, for all she knew, there probably was, but her eyes were so blurred by the tears she could barely see what was in front of her, let alone behind her. Why shouldn't they be chasing her, though? It was obvious she had killed that woman. Maybe they hadn't noticed at the time, but they'd find out eventually.

She had never been the cause of anyone's death before - it had always been him who had done the deed, saying she was too heavenly to take a mortal's life. He felt little to no remorse for doing what needed to be done...then again, this wasn't supposed to have happened - this particular event was a complete accident.

The girl wasn't even sure how it happened. One moment, she was holding the woman's newborn baby, and, when she leaned down to place a kiss on the woman's forehead, she closed her eyes contently, looking for all the world that she was just going to sleep after the grueling task of bringing new life into the world.

The girl knew better, however. She gave the boy to his father, and, before anyone realized what had happened, she ran.

Her foot caught a root, tripping her, causing her to stumble forward. She would have fallen, but a lean arm had caught her. She didn't have to look up to know who had her - she spent enough time with him over the years to know how his arm felt wrapped around her. She turned to his body, grabbed the front of his shirt, and let out the sobs she had been holding in.

He remained quiet, for which she was thankful. She never once complained about her lifestyle, but, then again she never had to take anyone's life before. She had willingly agreed to be his servant, since it was her birthright, and he even accepted her terms of staying almost completely out of her life, showing up only when he needed her. He kept his promise, and she kept hers, for nearly a hundred years now…

But then she became friends with this small group of people, and only after did she realize their hatred for vampires. She loved them like family, so she kept her life a secret. As far as they knew she had a growth condition that kept her looking like she was still thirteen, when they really believed she was in her early twenties, like the rest of them.

She held her tongue when they decided to start a vampire hunting guild. Well, what would they have done if they had found out that she was, in fact, the servant to the king of vampires? She wanted to believe that they would put their friendship first, but then she had killed her best friend's wife right after she had given birth to a son - and then ran - she had little doubt that they'd probably kill her.

It took a long time, but she finally calmed. They sat in silence, both looking up at the treeline, her sitting sideways in his lap with her head on his shoulder. Sure, he may have been the king of the creatures she ended up swearing to protect the human race from, but he wasn't like the ruthless vampires who killed because they could. He only killed when he fed, which was very rarely anyway considering he prefered her blood.

She lost track of how long they were sitting there like that, but, eventually, she sighed and pushed herself off him.

"I can't do this anymore," she whispered, turning her back to him. He remained quiet, letting her speak her mind. "This life I have doesn't agree with the life I want. I've been lying to my friends just so I could stay with them, but it still leaked through." She clenched her fists in her lap as she felt the sadness and despair well up again. "I killed one of the people I love most. I can't go back there, not now. But I don't know if I can live knowing they hate me."

Finally, she brought her wide, tear stained eyes to look at him. He looked back at her, peaceful as always, his face a blank slate. She never knew what he was thinking, and she would have liked to know she meant more to him than a life source. She's kept him alive for nearly a hundred years, surely he treasured her a little?

"I'd rather die than be an enemy of Fairy Tail," she concluded.

The king sighed, glancing to the side. "Are you really that concerned about them taking their revenge?"

She smiled softly. Of course he'd think about that; she doubted he was ever concerned with anything other than life or death. Didn't he have someone he truly cared for? He's lived a long time, there had to be someone, at some point in his long life, that he loved so much he couldn't stand to be away from them.

"It's not about that. They were my family, and I'd like to think that, despite what I had done, they still cared for me enough to want to end my misery quickly. I took one of their own away from them...If it had been anyone else Fairy Tail would come back and drive a stake in that heart so far deep that it's own children would feel the damage as if it were their own, and any vampire would think twice before showing their face to Fairy Tail again."

She fell silent, watching his reactions. He was so good at hiding what he was thinking, but she'd spent enough time in his presence to know his little quirks. He blinked, and she knew he was thinking of ways to argue with her. He knew what she wanted from him.

"I had a sister," she continued. "I've been watching over her family, making sure they were kept safe all these years. They're just as qualified to keep you as I am."

He looked at her. "There's more to letting go of a servant than just killing you and taking one as I please."

"I know, Zeref. I just wanted you know that I'm not your last hope at living. There's still a long line of angel descendants to make sure you stay alive. Make sure they're protected, so when you wake, you can continue on like you want to." She slouched and looked away. "When you're done with me, you'll have enough energy to set your affairs in order." She sniffed as a fresh wave of tears threatened to break through. "I'm tired. Maybe I'm being selfish, but if you don't end it between us, I will. There's only one way I can do it, and I'm pretty sure you don't want to die today."

Zeref sighed, and made his way to her, which wasn't very far. He did feel pity for her, but he couldn't lie when he said he wasn't at least a little surprised this had affected her as muchas it did. She's lived a long time, she has loved and lost before...so what exactly was different with this group of Fairy Tail? He placed his hands on either side of her head, and brought her face close to his.

He paused when she closed her eyes and sighed. With a small smile, he placed his forehead against her own.

"I'll miss you," he whispered.

Her eyes snapped open and she stared at him for a beat. He had closed his eyes, but his eyebrows were furrowed in discomfort. After a moment, she gently grasped his wrists and smiled softly.

"Thank you, Zeref," she whispered in response. She understood his hesitation. After all, they had spent four hundred years together, and she'd grown to realize he was more gentle than the rest of the world believed him to be.

The vampire nodded and without any more hesitation he placed his lips against hers, allowing her one last heartfelt kiss before abruptly cutting off his magic. He took in a shaky breath as her now lifeless body fell limp in his arms.

Already he could feel his body weakening, but he knew he still had quite awhile before the eternal sleep took him again. He picked up the girl's body, and started the first step in putting all affairs in order. He needed to find Mavis' sister, first and foremost, and he hoped the humans of Fairy Tail would tell him where to begin searching.

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 **AN: Hey guys! Long time no see, I know...I suck. -Sad face- For those of you who have faved/followed me, you're probably expecting an update on my other stories. The truth is, I've run out of juice on them. I've tried to continue, but I just stare blankly at what I've written so far, and I can't come up with anything (a couple of them weren't even being worked on religiously anyway, so it had been warned that they weren't going to be updated often anyway). So, here's my official apology.**

 **Now, then, notes on this story. So, if anyone has visited my page, you'd know this one has been a long time in the making. This is my first official LucyXZeref story. I've got more in the works, but I'm going to start with this one to ease everyone into my Zercy obsession. There aren't very many stories out there, but I plan to change that. I've got a few one-shots to put out, so, if you like this pairing, keep an eye out for those.**

 **As I stated before, there are plenty of mature themes (it's rated the way it's rated for a reason, ya know!), so read at your own discretion.**

 **Now then, since that's all finished, please review/fave/follow, and I'll see you next time. Thanks for taking the time to read.**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

~100 Hundred Years Later~

The night was cold, much colder than it has been lately. Lucy rubbed her arms as she let out a shivering sigh. Well, her clothing of choice didn't help either, especially for the middle of September. Normally she would be clad in a skin tight suit, easy to move around in, but this night found her wearing a black zip-up sweater, a black turtleneck shirt, and a black mini skirt, much too thin to provide the warmth she needed against the breeze that blew through the streets.

The fog of her breath swirled in front of her, and she quickly closed her mouth to avoid detection. The only smart choice of her outfit was that her sweater was big enough for her to hide her utility belt around her waist, complete with flasks of holy water, various holy blessed items, and a 9mm glock complete with silver bullets, also tipped in holy water - for extra protection just in case, she'd tell herself, not because it hurt more. She had her knives stashed in her boots, which ran up to her knees, so she wasn't worried about her own safety - aside from possible hypothermia.

Maybe this wasn't such a good night to stake out. At first, it seemed like a great idea - there was something buzzing through the vampire circles, and no one knew what it could be about. Rumor was that something big was happening tonight, and she and her partner wanted to stop whatever it was before it could become an issue. Granted, they were under law to let them practice whatever sacred ceremony they wanted, but Natsu and Lucy just wanted to make sure they weren't sacrificing any innocents.

Sure, working tonight was her idea, but splitting up had been Natsu's idea. At least she knew, _with_ him, she wouldn't be freezing her butt off in the middle of the slums of Magnolia. She briefly wondered why the vampires were attracted to the slums - why couldn't they have their hideouts in the upper class areas?

However, she was able to use the advantage of being a slim, blonde woman for her work. She couldn't count how many unfortunate blood suckers she was able to lure in with her acting skills. She was little, but she wasn't powerless. On the contrary, she was one of the most dangerous killers in their guild. She and Natsu made the ultimate team.

A rustle at her side made her jump; not from actual fear, but from years of training, immediately falling into character whether the noise was her target or not. Luckily for her, it was a target, and a newbie from the looks of it. Only the newer ones still made noise with their cliche trench coats, the way they clunked when they walked, unaccustomed to their newfound gifts of silence and stealth.

"Excuse me, sir?" Lucy squeaked out, rubbing her arms again and glancing frantically around her. The vampire stopped and stared at her, eyes wide. He was a hungry newbie, the perfect target. This was going to be easy. "I'm terribly lost, and frightfully cold. Can you help me?"

The vampire swallowed, but he glanced around them nervously. He held up his hands, palms facing her, and backed away. Was he so new that the thought of taking her was still repulsive?

"I'm sorry, young lady," he rasped. She stepped towards him, and he continued to step away. "If you keep following that street that way, you'll find your way back to the light." He turned away from her. "You should leave this area immediately if you wish to live another day." Without allowing her to say anything, he disappeared into the dark of the alleyway, his trench coat billowing behind him.

She huffed and put her hands on her hips. How dare he just dismiss her like that! She was a sexy young blood bag, and any vampire would count himself lucky to have her fall into their arms! Well, that is until she stabs a dagger through their heart. However, she couldn't shake off the feeling of unease she gained from his warning. She's heard it before, but the way he delivered it made the hair on her arms stand on end, and it had nothing to do with the cold. He was looking around, making sure they really were alone, and he still sent her away.

Now that she thought about it, she hadn't seen a single soul for about thirty minutes, and that was when she and Natsu split. She couldn't remember seeing anyone before then, either. The two of them walked through the streets like they owned the place, but now that she had a chance to look back, she didn't remember seeing anyone since they left the guild.

She pulled the hood of her black sweater over her head, and took the chance. She followed the vampire. Something had him shaken, and it wasn't the threat of vampire hunters. She had two choices: she could kill him and not know anything about what's been going on, or she could follow him and hopefully find out what's been going on without dying herself. She had confidence in her skills, but even she wouldn't be able to survive an ongoing attack of however many vampires.

She didn't know where he was leading her, but she had a feeling it wasn't a place any mortal would want to find themselves, Hunter or no. Years of training told her this was a very bad idea, but she couldn't turn back.

He led her through the dark alleyways, keeping to the shadows. She wasn't far behind him, and yet he still seemed to be unaware of her presence. He must be _brand spankin'_ new, she figured the moment he jumped back against the wall of the alley before venturing into the street.

She inched closer to the end of the alley, and peered behind the wall. Still no one was around, but the vampire she'd been following had disappeared as well. She refused to walk out into the open, in case it was a trap, and she was rewarded by a steel door opening on one of the buildings down the street from where she stood.

She gulped and leaned her head on the wall. She found one of the hives, that had to be it. He led her to a vampire hive, where thousands of vampires were probably dwelling. Well, she found her destination, and she had more choices to make. The logical side told her to wait for Natsu, but the curious side told her to go for it...when has her logical side won over her curiosity? She was confident she wouldn't get caught - they all seemed pretty preoccupied with something - she felt she could make it at least through the door before anyone noticed her. Not to mention she was a member of Fairy Tail, so if she was caught, she could use that as leverage to make it so she at least lived for another day or two...plenty of time to come up with an escape plan.

 _Okay, Lucy, on three._

She darted around the corner, not bothering to count and second guess her decision, and quickly made her way to the door. There were no windows on the building, and the door was solid steel. It was cracked open, so she was able to sneak in without making too much noise. She hugged the door, sucking in her stomach and pressing her hand over chest - one of the few times she cursed being so blessedly endowed in the breast department - so she could squeeze through without moving the metal too much, and ducked low to the ground the moment she was inside; anyone would aim at eye level the moment they sensed danger, and in the midst of vampires this would give her at least a few seconds of a head start. She pulled her turtleneck collar over her mouth, both disguising the sound of her breath, and the scent of blood and death that immediately hit her as she took a single step forward.

It was eerily quiet. Normally there was music, laughter, cries from imprisoned mortals...there was nothing. She chanced a second crouched step, then another. Nothing sounded. She was in a short hallway that turned to the left, where she saw a faint glow emitting, so she slowly and quietly made her way towards that curve. Staying low, she hugged her back against the wall and peeked around the corner. She blinked, not sure if she believed what she saw, but unable to bring her gaze away.

There was a large, empty room, save for a platform in the middle - it looked like a strip club on a normal night, but there were no strobe lights, and the tables and chairs were all missing. On the platform was a coffin - white with gold borders and a decorative golden rosary glinting in the light - standing up with the lid facing her. Vampires - hundreds of them - were scattered about, surrounding the platform, each one kneeling on the ground with their foreheads touching the ground in front of them. Were they praying?

She remained still, afraid that any movement could trigger a chain reaction that ended with her torn into bits and feasted upon by the very vampires that sat a few yards away. She was just counting her lucky stars none of them noticed her yet.

Finally, after about five minutes of stillness, a tall man, covered in black, flowing robes, walked up to the coffin. He stood in front of it, and held his arms out wide. Every inch of his body was covered, from head to toe, she didn't see a single patch of pale skin anywhere. The vampires on the floor all raised their heads and gave the man their full attention.

"Brothers and sisters," he called out, "the time has finally come!" Whispers spread throughout the room, but Lucy remained silent. The man turned to the coffin and placed his hands on it, stroking the wood gently. "After a hundred years, the eternal sleep is finally coming to an end. Our king is growing restless, and soon we will bask in his glory, and finally bring our kind out of the shadows." He jumped in front of the coffin again, and held out his arms in a theatrical manner. The dramatics made Licy roll her eyes, but she remained in her spot, hoping she wasn't wasting her time.

"For years we've been reduced to hiding in the shadows, living off scraps, barely enough to keep our kind alive. Now we will have a chance rise up and _live_ again." He pointed at two vampires near him and they joined him on the platform, gripping each side of the coffin. "Our king will rise and grant us sanctuary. He will provide protection, food, and wealth, far beyond any of our wildest dreams. No longer shall we fear the Hunters, but the Hunters shall fear us. The war is coming, my brothers and sisters, and it is a war we shall win!"

The vampires cheered as the two ripped the lid of the coffin off, clattering to the stage with a loud crash, revealing a young man, sleeping. Her eyes were glued to his face. She wanted to turn and run, but something was pulling her towards him, a warm stream of invisible light that she couldn't see, but feel. The vampires around her cheered louder as the vampire on center stage slowly opened his eyes, and immediately their gazes met. The strange warmth flowed through her body, and it created terror like she'd never felt before. Without another thought, she turned on her heel and ran out of the building, still undetected by all but the one.

If what that vampire was saying was true, then Fairy Tail had to be notified immediately.

Fear overflowed her body, creating tremors in her joints as she struggled to run down the street. She had never expected the _king_ to return - no one wakes from eternal sleep. Had this been a secret among the vampires for so many years that even the former slaves who joined Fairy Tail knew nothing about?

She rounded a corner, her legs giving out. She cried as she fell to her knees, the gravel scraping her skin.

"Lucy?"

Looking up, she was able to realize she had run straight to Natsu. He quickly jogged to her, and fell at her side, placing his hands on her shoulders. His dark eyes searched her chocolate brown orbs, searching for the answer she wished she could tell him. She grasped his hand on her shoulder, and threw herself onto his body, forcing his arms to wrap around her, pulling her close to his body. He gently rubbed his hand down her hair, shushing her as she cried in fear, an emotion she was unfamiliar with.

He held her tightly as he helped her stand. "Let's get you back home," he whispered as he started leading her away.

As they walked, she couldn't ignore the warmth that still remained.

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 **AN: Thanks for the follows/faves/reviews. They made me happy that people may actually enjoy this. So, I haven't really decided on an update schedule yet. Right now it's looking like whenever I'm not too tired from work. But no worries, I will update this. So, hope you liked this chapter, and I'll see you again next time. Don't forget to fave/follow if you haven't already, and reviews are always appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 2

~.~ Chapter 2 ~.~

She was finally able to calm down, safe in her own apartment. Natsu refused to leave her alone, having spent the night on her couch. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence for him to spend the night, but she wished he would actually sneak into her bed like he normally did. That way she'd feel more secure with his warm body surrounding her, chasing away the image of mysteriously dark eyes that haunted her dreams. They had been partners for years now, ever since they were teenagers, and it was rare for them to be apart for too long.

She climbed out of bed as the sun was high in the sky, having slept for most of the day. Having her job hunting vampires meant she had to work at night, so sleeping until late afternoon wasn't unusual for her. Hugging her blanket tighter around her body, she made her way into the living room.

Her partner was laying awkwardly on her little love seat, his legs draped over the arm and his head resting on her coffee table. He snored happily, unaware of his sleeping position. The speech of the previous night came back to her, and she feared for his life.

She had a dream of a dark stranger walking into the guildhall, and destroying everything. He killed mercilessly, leaving her for last as he tore her family to shreds. He grabbed Natsu and pulled him apart like a piece of meat, no resistance.

She gulped, pushing the returning sorrow and terror she felt during her dream down, and she made her way to her couch. She knelt on the floor by his body, and gently placed her hand on his head. They had been friends for a long time - they had even gotten romantic at one point - so he was the one she worried for the most. If he left her - either willingly or by death - she wouldn't know what to do with herself. He was her partner, her best friend, and she trusted him with her life.

Having felt her hand on his head, Natsu slowly opened his eyes. As he focused on her, he smiled. "Good morning, Angel," he croaked, trying to pull himself up. He groaned and she helped him sit up. He rolled his neck, trying to get the kinks out. "You okay?" He stretched, then put his arm around her and pulled her onto his lap. "Are you going to finally tell me what happened?"

She bit her lip and leaned her head on his shoulder. She wanted to tell him, but she was still having a hard time coming to terms with it.

"I think I saw the king," she whispered, immediately regretting her choice of words the moment they came out. She closed her eyes shut tight as she felt his body bounce, obviously laughing at her, but trying hard to keep it in. "Nevermind, I don't know what I saw, honestly."

He wrapped his other arm around her and held her tightly against him. "I'm sorry," he said, clearing his throat, trying to rid himself of the giggles. "I don't know what you saw, but it wasn't the king, Luce."

"But they claimed it to be him." She opened her eyes again and looked at him. "I saw a ceremony. A vampire in the middle, giving a speech like a sermon, and they were all worshiping the coffin."

"The king of vampires? Lucy, the king entered his eternal sleep nearly four hundred years ago."

She blinked. Hadn't that vampire said a hundred years? She must have heard wrong.

"I know." She bit her lip, pushing away from him slightly. His disbelief of her words were grating at her nerves. "But where is it written that the eternal sleep really _is_ eternal?"

"You don't wake from eternal sleep. It _is_ written _..._ in our books at the library, it's common knowledge. Maybe it was just a farce? Something the higher vamps use to tell the lowbies to secure their loyalty."

She clenched her jaw as she blinked at him. Granted that would explain her confusion with the difference in years, but how could he just dismiss her so easily? They had been together for a long time, and she had never given him reason to believe she'd make up stories, or that she'd so easily believe them herself. He didn't see what she saw; he didn't understand the emotion that radiated off the vampires. She sighed and tried a different approach.

"He was talking about a war," she stated, looking away.

"The king?"

"No, the leader, or whatever he was. He said it was time for the king's awakening, and he'll help them win the war."

"Just fancy words to keep the faith in their kind." He literally waved her words away, and she jumped off him.

"Why don't you believe me, Natsu?" she shrieked, letting her blanket fall to the floor. "Do you think I would make something like this up? If it really was just all a lie, then why do _I_ feel so affected by it?"

He calmly stood, not wanting to anger her more than she already was, but he wouldn't back down, either.

"Because it's absolutely ridiculous."

And that was the last straw. Lucy whipped around, and stomped to her room, slamming the door behind her. She couldn't stand to be in the same vicinity as him. Even now, through her bedroom door, she could feel his presence, and she grew angrier as the seconds ticked by. She made her way to her dresser and threw the first drawer open. She was in her pajamas currently - a pair of shorts and a tank top - and she grabbed a pair of jeans and a sweater. She needed to go out, to be alone, and she knew the exact place she wanted to go.

The sun was still in the sky, but it was going to set in at least an hour. That gave her plenty of time to make it to her park.

Throwing her clothes on, she opened the door. Natsu had moved into the kitchen where he was making them food. She ignored him as he called out to her, up until she had her front door open.

"I'm going out for awhile," she called. "I'll be back right after nightfall. I want to be alone."

Despite Natsu's protests, she left. She couldn't believe him sometimes. She wasn't the type of person to let everything get to her - she had to be hard, emotionally, for her job. She and Natsu had killed more vampires than anyone in the guild. Granted, that was because they were out every night, instead of waiting for jobs to roll in like most of the guild members. Their lives revolved around killing off the vampire threat, both for their own personal reasons, and understanding the way the bloodsucking killers lived was part of the job.

She knew it wasn't a lie. The man she had seen in that coffin was like no other vampire she'd ever seen. He wasn't pale - despite probably being in that coffin for four hundred years- or only a hundred, or whatever - if the rumors were true - and he looked more alive than the actual living creatures that surrounded him. His cheeks were full, his hair was smooth...The details she could tell from her spot from about ten yards or so, were too precise for him to be any normal vampire.

Maybe it _was_ a lie, and the man in the coffin was just a freshly killed mortal? That seemed like the more acceptable answer that Natsu was probably looking for.

Sighing, she made her way into the park, having spaced out in her thoughts. Normally it took her at least twenty minutes from her apartment, and another five minutes to find her bench. She allowed herself to forget about the king for a moment as she made her way to the lonely bench, placed just off the path in the middle of the grassy field. People were out at this time, playing with their dogs, jogging, winding down from a full day of busy work and play.

It had been a long time since she'd been able to enjoy a full day of fun in the sun. It was actually since before she joined Fairy Tail that she had spent a full day outside. After joining, she quickly settled herself into the night schedule, and was content with her life since then.

She smiled as she noticed a little girl with her parents, walking away from the play area that was just down the way. It reminded her of herself at that age, unaware of the evil that lurked in the shadows. As far as the child was concerned, monsters under the bed and in the closet were afraid of her mom and dad, who seemed to be the only people in the world who mattered to her. She had yet to understand the way of people - even mortals could be questionable. No single creature was completely good all the time, and it was Lucy's job to try and extinguish the more dangerous of threats.

She closed her eyes and let the late summer breeze blow through her hair. She took a deep breath and inhaled the scents of the park - the grass, the trees, the flowers - and she was immediately filled with a calm that only the peace of the daytime could bring her. Shaking her head slightly, she figured she'd been away from Natsu for long enough. Opening her eyes, she noticed the sun falling behind the trees. It wasn't late enough for it to be completely dark, but it was getting later, and colder.

She wrapped her arms around her body and rubbed, trying to get the goosebumps down. She sighed deeply, deciding now would be a good time to go back home. She set her hands on the wood beneath, planning on using her hands to push herself up, when she noticed a figure in her peripheral, sitting beside her.

She jumped and stared at him, scooting as far from him as the bench would allow. She didn't hear him approach - had she fallen asleep and not realized it?

The man sat, seemingly unaware of her presence, watching as the people gathered their things and animals and set off home. She blinked at the familiarity of his black hair, his facial structure. His eyes were dark, also familiar, but she knew she hadn't seen this man before. The way he dressed was almost out of place - a perfectly tailored black suit with a white shirt underneath; it seemed way too expensive for this side of town. Men like him belonged at the other end of Magnolia, not in the middle class section.

She contemplated getting up and leaving without alerting him, but just as she was about to stand up, he spoke, his voice sending chills through her body that had nothing to do with the coldness of the air around her.

"It's absolutely beautiful," he said quietly. She wasn't sure if he was talking to her, so she remained silent. "I almost missed the bustling life of people in the day," he continued, watching as the last person disappeared from view. She gulped as he slowly turned his head to look at her, a pleasant expression on his features. "Aren't you going to head home, as well?"

She nodded, unable to make her voice speak, and she moved to stand for the third time, but his hand reached out and grasped her own. She gasped and jumped, pulling at her hand, but he had grabbed her with such speed and strength she doubted simply pulling would release her. His skin was warm, and she was suddenly hit with remembrance of where she had seen him before.

He was the rumored king she had seen the previous night. Had she been found out? Did they really know she had been spying on them, and now they sent him to take care of her. She wasn't exactly unknown in the vampire community, so her death could mean a big step in the vampires favor - and she wasn't being gloaty or anything about that.

"You are mortal." It wasn't a question; he was simply stating a fact, and she gulped. She weighed her options as he looked at her. She hadn't brought her belt with her, but she still had daggers in her boots, which were easily accessible since she was sitting. "Forgive me, I thought you were one of my people."

"Impossible," she muttered. "It's still light out. Any vampire would immediately burst into flame the moment they stepped outside."

"Really?" He blinked at her, seemingly genuine in his confusion as he looked himself over, still gripping her hand. He brought his other hand up and examined it. "I seem fine," he muttered. "Is this something new?"

"No. It's been that way since I can remember." She allowed herself to look calmer, giving him the illusion that she was falling under his spell - the common vampire power to give their prey the false sense of security and safety. Her immunity to the vampire's spells were one of her many strengths, having practiced long and hard to develop her mentality enough to keep cheap tricks out of her mind.

He looked away from her again. "This world is different," he muttered. "There are so many things that I have questions about, and yet, none of my people seem keen to explain to me." He looked at her again, smiling softly. "Tell me, how long have my people been living in the cover of night?"

When he had looked away from her, she had taken the chance to set her hand on her knee, allowing herself the easy access to one of the daggers at the top of her boots. His question, however, confused her. He blinked at her.

"And how long has it been since _normal_ mortals have been fully aware of my people? I thought it was settled, before I fell asleep, that they would be well taken care of, not discriminated against, _protected_. Why do they need to hide?"

Lucy shook her head. "You have never left the cover of dark, and that's _your_ choice. _You_ hunt us, hiding in the shadows like cowards, taking us when we least expect it, not giving a care to who you're hurting." She dropped her hand to the top of her boot, her finger grazing the tip of her dagger's hilt. The more she spoke, the angrier she became.

"You seem very knowledgable about my people," he said, turning his body so he was fully facing her. "Who's your master, girl?"

"Makarov." Without a second warning, she jumped on him, her dagger drawn and hitting home in his chest. He let go of her, and she immediately jumped off him, backing up to watch his body burst into dust from the stab wound. She hit him square in the chest, having killed too many vampires too count in that manner to know just where to strike.

He blinked up at her, then down at the dagger sticking out of his chest. He grabbed the dagger's hilt and pulled it out of his body, barely moving as he did so, as if the silver and holy water had absolutely no affect him. She tilted her head, hesitant by the lack of death that should have followed her stabbing him, but he was perfectly fine. She needed to run, but, just like the previous night, she felt frozen, unable to move.

He looked up at her, his eyes suddenly glowing red, his mouth twitched in a snarl, and he dropped the dagger to the ground. In an instant he was up and holding her close to his body, his hand around her neck. With just the tiniest hint of pressure, he could crush her body, and yet he didn't. She was too frightened and caught off guard to do anything, and her spare dagger clattered to the ground.

He brought his face close to her neck and sniffed. The feel of his freezing cold breath on her skin sent shivers through her body, and all she could do was hold on, grasping his suit jacket.. He snarled quietly and brought his face back up to hers, nearly touching their noses.

"You do not belong to any vampire?" he asked. Without waiting for answer, he tilted her head, exposing her pale flesh to him. She whimpered at the realization of what he was about to do, and she was absolutely powerless to stop him. "I do not know who Makarov is, but he is a fool to claim a human without marking her. I guess that's good, though; I would have to kill him if he marred this beautiful skin."

As if to prove his point, he sunk his canines into her neck, placing them with practiced precision into her arteries. The initial piercing didn't hurt - he must have used another power on her without her realizing - but the moment he started letting the blood flow into his mouth was pure torture. She cried out, the burning sensation of him sucking the blood from her neck feeling like her whole body was on fire. She jolted, but it was for naught - he held her too tightly against him, and she suspected the more she fought, the tighter he was going to hold onto her to the point where he could easily break her bones.

As the energy started to leave her, the pain in her neck was numbing, and she accepted her death. She wanted to fight him, to force him to kill her quickly, but he prolonged her death by simply playing with her.

He pulled his mouth away and started licking the wound, only using the tip of his tongue to gather the little droplets of blood that formed. She moaned as her muscles loosened, and her eyelids became heavy.

She felt close to nothing, all her feeling that was left focused on his hot mouth near her neck. He lifted his head for a moment as he watched, with mild amusement, a drop that slid down her suddenly pale skin. His eyes traveled to her weary face, and he smiled, showing off his bloody fangs, though she couldn't see it clearly. He bent down to lick the trail of blood that had almost made its way to the collar of her sweater, and pressed his tongue against the puncture wounds.

She had never had her blood sucked before, but she knew he was closing the wound. She heard rumors of vampire saliva having some sort of healing power in it, and they used that power to stop the bleeding of their victims, mainly to save them for later. She let her eyes flutter closed, unwilling to see his smug face, or the beautiful world around them.

She felt his warm hand rest over her eyes.

"You seem exhausted," he whispered, his mouth having moved to her ear. "Sleep, Angel."

Her body fell limp in his arms, and he finally pulled away from her, gazing down at her sleeping face. He hadn't forgotten her face. It was the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes after so many years of sleep - only a mere one hundred, according to his servants - and he had spent all day searching for her. However, to hear that she already had a master filled him with such a murderous rage that he hadn't felt in such a long time - even before he slept - that he was going to take her from her vampire master.

He glanced at the daggers on the ground, one covered in blood, the other pristine, the silver glinting in the lamplight. So, she was a hunter. How amusing. Bending down, he was easily able to pick up the matching daggers with no problem while still holding an unconscious Hunter.

His anger toward her for stabbing him was just a ruse, a ploy to make her believe she was the one who had angered him. How could such a beautiful, angelic creature anger him?

He picked her up and held her bridal style, making his way out of the park.

* * *

Natsu burst through the doors of the guild, taking only a moment to scan the crowd before quickly making his way to the bar. She wasn't here either. His anxiety rose, and the moment he reached the bar, he slammed his palms on the wooden counter, scaring the barmaid into dropping a glass.

Naturally, everyone in the room fell silent and stared at the commotion, wondering what happened, but as soon as they realized nothing big was going on - it was just Natsu, nothing new - they went back to their business.

"Natsu, really?" The girl behind the bar sighed and leaned down, using a towel to wipe up the broken glass. "Don't just come in here and start making a ruckus."

Ignoring the fact that he usually does walk in and start a ruckus, he leaned over so he could see the woman on the ground.

"Lis, have you seen Lucy?" he asked, trying to keep quiet - not wanting to alert anyone - but unable to control it for too long. His partner was missing, after all, and a large number of possibilities had floated through his mind.

The girl blinked and looked up at him. "No, she hasn't come in yet."

Swearing under his breath, he pushed off the counter and immediately started making his way towards the back where the master's office was located. It was protocol to notify the master the moment it's apparent someone has gone missing. Natsu had only had to do this once - ironically for the girl he had just terrified at the bar - and he had originally prayed he wouldn't have to do it again. But it was something that had to be done, and the sooner he let the master know, the sooner he'd be able to go back out and search some more.

He burst through the door, not even bothering with knocking, and approached the old man behind his desk.

"Natsu? What's the hurry?"

"Lucy's missing." No point beating around the bush. With his news delivered, he turned to go back to finding her, but the master stopped him.

"Don't you move an inch, boy!" he roared, hopping down from his chair. Natsu clenched his fists and turned to him. Had it been anyone else trying to stop him, Natsu would punch their lights out and leave them unconscious on the floor. However, this was the master of Fairy Tail, a man who could easily subdue anyone who walked through those doors - Natsu included. Also, everyone knew Makarov never took a missing person's claim lightly. "How are you sure she's missing?" the old man asked. "Weren't the two of you together?"

"Always, Master, except today she…" Natsu closed his eyes and shook his head - their fight wasn't really important. "I think we got into an argument, and she left angry, saying she needed to be alone."

It was common knowledge where the girl went if she truly desired to be alone - she had spent many a day with her parents at that park before they were taken from her. Natsu let her be, but only for a few minutes. No way was he going to sit around her apartment and wait for her to show up when she said she would. He had followed her, but when he arrived at her usual spot, she was nowhere to be found.

"What do you mean you _think_?" The old man furrowed his eyebrows. He loved every single member of his family that he's helped raise, but they each had their little quirks that he had to overlook sometimes. Natsu wasn't the brightest of the bunch, but he was strong, and caring. "Natsu, tell me what happened."

"No, that's not important right now. She's out there, all alone. We need to find her." His voice cracked, the fear of what could have happened quickly rushing over him. The longer he stood there, the more devastating possibilities that ran through his head, the more he wanted to cry.

"She's a very capable girl. Even if she left without any protection she'd be able to handle herself. You know this, Natsu, so tell me what happened?" He stepped back and pointed to one of the chairs that sat in front of his desk.

Natsu's fists were clenched so hard at this point, his fingernails were digging into his palms. Of course she'd be able to handle herself, so when she's nowhere to be found, he'd do anything in his power to get her back. He did as he was silently told, however, and dropped himself into the chair.

"What was your argument about?"

"This is stupid! I need to go look for her!" He moved to get back up, but the master holding out his hand stopped him. Makarov walked to his desk, hopped up onto his chair, and pushed a button on his phone. There was a loud beep, and female voice came through.

"Yes, Master?"

"Send out a small search party," he said. "Keep it quiet, only a few people. Tell them Lucy went out alone, and we're just searching to keep her safe."

"Yes, Master." The phone beeped again, and Makarov folded his hands on his desk, staring pointedly at Natsu. The younger man sighed and slouched in his chair. He wasn't going to get out of this.

"She witnessed some sort of ceremony last night," he said, keeping it as short as possible. "She said they're claiming to be in the process of waking up the king from his eternal sleep."

"That's not possible," the old man whispered. He blinked and glanced away. He's heard tumors of the what the king was capable of, and if they were trying to wake him, who knew what sort of destruction he could cause.

"That's what I said! She got mad at me and left. The eternal sleep is called that for a reason, and she got upset because I didn't believe her."

"Lucy's not some rookie, something else must have spooked her about it. Everyone knows once a vampire enters eternal sleep, they'll never wake up."

Natsu nodded, glad he wasn't the only one who thought so. He happily jumped out of his chair when Makarov waved at him, signalling him to leave.

"Continue on your search, Natsu. I'm sure she's fine. If anyone can find her, it's you." He sat in his chair and watched the younger man run towards the door. Before he disappeared, however, Makarov stopped him. Upon hearing his name, the younger man stopped and watched his master expectantly. "We have laws to uphold. Please don't go overboard."

Natsu clenched his fists. "Lucy is missing, Master. They broke their laws, and it's up to us to punish them for it. I can't promise no vampire will make it out unscathed." With that, he left.

The moment the door closed, Makarov wasted no time and pushed the button on his phone.

"Yes, Master?" the female voice sounded after a beep.

"Tell Erza she's in charge," he ordered. "I need to make an emergency trip to the Council." He rubbed a hand over his weary face, not looking forward to a trip to the council. A missing Hunter was already a sensitive subject, but considering who was missing this time, he could only imagine the berating he was going to get for having one of his most deadliest Hunters unaccounted for.

"The Council? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, yet, I hope. I'm leaving immediately."

"Yes, Master."

Twenty years he was able to protect the girl, not once thinking this would happen again. He just hoped his assumptions were incorrect.

* * *

 **AN: So, longer chapter this time, and this is going to be the more average sized chapter of this story. First of all, I apologize for Natsu coming off as a little asshole-ish...I really do...but let's explore why for a second, shall we? Before anyone gets all angry about it (it's happened before in my stories, so I'm going to explain, without giving away any spoilers, and if you still find offence to it, too bad.) To Hunters, the King is more of a legend than an actual threat, so not many are going to believe Lucy no matter who she told, it just pissed her off more because it was Natsu and not some other random person.**

 **Anywho, that's all for now. Thanks for the support, and don't forget to follow/fave/review.**


	4. Chapter 3

~.~ Chapter 3 ~.~

Lucy groaned, her head pounding with the worst migraine she'd ever had. She held her fingers against her temple, hoping to calm the strain her head caused. A soft clinking sound to her side caused her to gasp and shoot up. Looking around, she noticed she was in a dark room, fully furnished with fancy furniture...No windows that she noticed. She was currently laying on a king-sized bed, on top of black, silken sheets. She ran her palms over the soft fabric, wondering how she got there, and what happened.

The clinking sounded again and she looked to her side. A man was sitting at a desk, fiddling with various shiny objects on the surface. He still wore his suit, but the jacket was now thrown over the back of the chair he sat in, and his sleeves were neatly rolled up past his elbows.

Pain shot through her head again, and she pressed her hands against her temple, unable to keep a quiet moan from escaping.

"Ah, you're awake," the man said, turning to her, a small smile on his lips. She watched as he stood from his seat, grabbing a glass of water, and walked to her, handing her the glass. "Drink this. I imagine you must be pretty dehydrated and lightheaded." His smile was pleasant, but she didn't trust it at all. Maybe he was genuinely trying to be nice, or maybe that glass had some sort of poison in it. She wouldn't put it past a vampire to do something like that.

He stared down at her, his smile dropping when he realized she had no intention of taking the glass. He scowled, and instantly her neck started burning. She cried out and pressed her palm against the source, a vein on her neck, her headache forgotten.

"Take the water, dear," he ordered. She reached out and grabbed the drink, her eyes filling with tears, but they went unnoticed to him. He smiled at her compliance. "Now drink."

She did as she was told, not sure why she was so willingly obeying him all of the sudden. The moment she pressed the glass to her lips and let the cool liquid flow down her throat, the burning stopped, and the pounding in her head seized. She took the glass away and blinked up at him, confused with his suddenly pleased expression again. He turned away from her and made his way back to the desk.

She took another sip of the water, not once letting her eyes leave his figure. She remembered what he did to her, the pain from her neck evident enough, and she wanted to be sick. Twenty years of living the life she was, and not once had any vampire gotten close enough to even think about drinking her blood. Yet here was this one, immune to her silver coated dagger - even the blessed cross she wore around her neck remained still. Was he even a vampire? The trinket around her neck would have reacted to being in such a close proximity to him, and her dagger should have reduced him to ash in seconds…

What was he?

Even now he was playing with her weapons she had on her person. She gasped and looked down at her body. Her boots were off, but that was all. He must have realized she kept things hidden in the leather, and had pulled each piece of weaponry out, and was now inspecting it all. He ran his fingers over each and every inch of the holy blessed items, with no reaction.

"Why would a human carry such barbaric objects?" he questioned, looking at her. "You say you have a master, and yet he didn't mark you. Who are you, girl?"

She shook her head. "I have no _vampire_ master," she said. "I'd rather be skinned, tarred and feathered, then burned alive than have a vampire master."

His eyebrows quirked as she spoke, clearly amused by her choice of words, and that just angered her more.

"My master is the great Makarov, third master of the guild Fairy Tail, the best and deadliest vampire hunting guild in all of Earthland." She sat straight and proud, but he just tilted his head.

He picked up a small dagger and twirled it in his fingers. He was smirking at her now, and she wanted to throw the glass of water him.

"Skinned, tarred and feathered, then burned alive, you say?" He lowered his face, and she could see a sadistic grin forming on his features. "That seems like a dare, don't you think?" He looked back up at her, and fear washed through her body. His eyes were glowing again - literally, glowing red - and, once again, she found herself frozen in fear. He stood from the chair and slowly, menacingly, creeped up to her, the dagger held firmly in his fist, that smile never faltering.

She must have been under his control still, because she couldn't move a muscle, even though her mind was screaming for her to move, to get away from this monstrous creature. When he reached her, he sat down on the bed, and gently placed the edge of the blade against the place where he bit her before. The skin tingled at the contact, and she felt a shiver run up and down her spine. He leaned in close, his eyes not once leaving the dagger.

"You are an amusing human, Angel," he whispered. "Such bravery, and yet, such foolish thoughts. I bet, if faced with these circumstances, you'd actually prefer to be a vampire's servant, instead of enduring so much pain and humiliation."

She closed her eyes tightly as her eyes burned with tears. The familiar bloodcurdling scream from her past resounded in her mind, and she found herself shaking from the fear of her memories.

"Never," she answered, gulping down her pain, and finally opening her eyes to stare at him. His smug look would normally have angered her, but she must have been under his spell, still, as she stared at his glowing eyes. Briefly, she realized she had never seen glowing eyes before, and that was probably the reason why she was able to fall for his powers so easily.

He wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her close, his face only inches away from her skin.

"Shall we test that theory, Angel?" he asked, gently placing his nose against her skin, quietly sniffing her scent, probably remembering the taste of her blood and couldn't wait for another go.

She closed her eyes again, wondering why he kept calling her that. She hated words of endearment, only putting up with them from Natsu - he was the only person alive today who had earned that right. She felt the man pull away slightly, and she opened her eyes again.

"However this is something we'll have to try some other time." He smiled as he pulled away from her. He grabbed one of her hands and placed the dagger on her palm, closing her fingers around the hilt for her. "You lost a lot of blood this night, and, I'm afraid, you still have a ways until you've fully recovered." He stood up, and gently placed his hands on either side of her head, gently placing his lips on her forehead. "Rest, Angel. If you need anything, just pull the cord over there, and one of my servants shall assist you." He stood up to his full height and turned from her, walking away.

Her heart started pounding when she realized that he was going to leave the room, and the thought of being alone was almost terrifying - though she didn't know why. She couldn't understand why the thought of him leaving her caused her to grow anxious, and she called out to him before she could stop herself.

"Wait!"

He froze and turned to her, an eyebrow raised. "Yes, Angel?"

She clenched her teeth, wishing he wouldn't call her that, and also wishing she knew why she stopped him in the first place. Quickly looking around the room, she thought of something.

"Who are you?" she asked. Well, it wasn't really a complete shot in the dark; she really was genuinely curious about his identity. He chuckled softly and bowed his head.

"My name is Zeref, King of my people."

Her face fell, and her whole body went cold. She knew he was the king those vampires were talking about the other night, but to hear him actually voice it out loud was something else entirely.

"And what is your name, my little vampire hunter?" His voice jolted her out of her thoughts, and she felt her throat constrict, almost too afraid to answer him.

"L-Lucy," she squeaked. He smiled and nodded his approval.

"Such a lovely name for such a lovely angel," he whispered, and turned back towards the door. "Sleep well, Lucy."

She shivered again when her name fell from his lips. It sounded downright dirty from his mouth, and she immediately regretted telling him her name.

Without another thought, she lay down and closed her eyes, immediately falling asleep.

* * *

"My Lord, there you are! We were all so worried - "

"There is a girl in my room," Zeref interrupted the servant. He had only been awake for a few hours now - almost a full day - and he hadn't had the time to memorize anyone's name. In fact, the only name he knew was the girl in his room, and that was because she had told him a few minutes ago. He gave it another hour or so before he forgot her name, as well.

The man in front of Zeref straightened, unsure of what to do with that bit of information his king had told him. Zeref smiled pleasantly.

"She is to be put under your care," he continued. "She's in need of human sustenance, whatever that may be these days, and time to recover. Oh, and if I find out that she's been harmed in any way, despite who it is who does the harming, I will personally make sure _you_ don't live another night. Am I clear?"

The servant nodded, his eyes widened slightly from the pure reality of his master's threat. He stood, frozen in his spot as his king walked past him, not once sparing the lowly servant another glance.

"Oh," Zeref gasped, remembering what he had actually set out to do. He stopped and looked back at the servant. "Could you direct me to the nearest library? I want to learn more about these vampire hunter guilds."

"Why go to a library, my king?" the servant asked. "Ajeel is the one you'd want to go to for any and all information revolving around our enemy."

"Ajeel?"

The servant nodded vigorously, pleased to be of any service to Zeref. "He's the one who has the most experience in fighting the hunters. He would have answers to any of your questions."

Zeref stood in thought for a moment, then nodded his thanks, turning back around. "If I hadn't just appointed you in taking care of my angel, then I would have killed you for questioning my order," he announced before disappearing around a corner.

The servant blinked for several seconds before heading to the king's room where he would assess the girl being kept, thanking his lucky stars that he was still alive.

* * *

Zeref stood in front of the bookshelf, knowing what he wanted to research, but unable to concentrate long enough to even grab the correct book. Though it was only a mere hundred years since Mavis, so many things had changed in the world.

For instance, his children weren't as well known as they apparently are now. The last he heard there were two legit Hunter guilds, and a council made up of both humans and vampires. Their goal was to keep the peace between the two races, but somewhere along the way the vampires were forced into hiding. Apparently it wasn't as bad now as a few years back; each race had certain laws they had to follow in order for them to coexist peacefully. Should one of the races break their laws, they were properly punished by each respective law enforcement branch - Hunter guilds for humans and the Balam Alliance for the vampires.

That was most of what he learned, but meeting this blonde woman confused him. He knew the signs, knew what she was...however, her unbiased hatred for him hurt more than it should have. He was used to being hated, even by her kind, but that wasn't what angered him the most.

She was the first who didn't know who he was. Ever since the First, they took great care in teaching their children about him and their duty to him.

"I wondered how long before you arrived here," said a weathered voice behind him. Turning, Zeref set eyes on the oldest vampire he's come to know, aside from himself. August was around since before Mavis, aging at least seven hundred years now, and that wasn't counting his age before becoming a vampire.

Designated the keeper of vampire knowledge, August was the first choice Zeref would make when he had questions about what he's missed while asleep. Granted, he had many questions about the present day, but his mind was revolving around one thing.

"Tell me about my latest charge," he demanded.

Nodding, the old vampire sat at the nearest table, using his large wooden staff to help keep his balance. "To start, my king, we didn't know she was alive until you brought her in."

Zeref's eyebrows rose in obvious curiosity as he sat across the table from the older man. This surprised him, given her family's history, and there was the fact that she belonged to Mavis' Fairy Tail...regardless, he stayed silent as his oldest friend told him her history.

* * *

The pitiful creature whimpered, unable to escape its torment. Natsu very rarely lost control, deciding to be more aloof with his techniques, but not tonight. The creature clambered away, shuffling as fast as its injured legs could force it to.

"I'm not going to ask you again," Natsu growled. He wiped the blade of his weapon on his trousers, feeling no remorse or regret for the begging and whimpering he was receiving.

The creature looked around them, probably looking for help that they both knew wouldn't come. Despite Natsu's usual merciful nature, once he had one of them in his clutches, there would be no escape, and that meant the same for any who tried to help.

"I don't know what happened to her," the creature spat. "Believe it or not, just because one of us is stupid enough to break the law, doesn't mean we all are."

"By association," Natsu supplied. "You monsters are lucky I don't kill each and every one of you the moment I set my sights on you. Fortunately for you I need information. It would benefit you greatly if you gave me what I need."

"I keep telling you I don't know what happened to her." The creature forced itself against the wall of the building. The alley was empty, save for the pair, and it had pretty much accepted its fate. It was that one unlucky bastard to cross paths with the Salamander, and it hadn't expected to get out of this encounter alive, even at the beginning. "Everyone in Magnolia knows of her. The only one who would have the balls to go up against her would have to be someone from out of town."

Natsu's eyebrow quirked as he stopped by the vampire's feet. He crossed his arms over his chest as he thought about that bit of information. Was it good enough to let this one go free? Possibly.

"Do you know anyone like that?" he asked, tapping the pointed end of the blade against his forearm.

The creature closed its eyes and shook its head. "I just woke up not five minutes before you caught me."

Natsu wasted no time in kneeling next to the creature, chancing his fate that the newly awoken vampire wouldn't grab him and drink his blood. He had faith of this one's obedience of the laws, and he suddenly hatched a plan. He snapped his fingers in front of the creature's closed eyes, causing the creature to open them.

"Since you don't know anything that's going on, let me enlighten you." He pressed the flat end of the blade against the creature's neck, earning a change in its composure. It was nervous, and it very well better be. "Lucy Heartfilia went missing earlier this evening."

The creature remained still, already have been told that, many times, actually. The element of surprise had long since dissipated after the sudden beating it received.

"One of you broke the law. She isn't a volunteer. She doesn't even think highly of your kind. In fact, she believes you all to be the scum of the Earthland. Spread the word that Fairy Tail is looking for her. We won't stop until we find her, and she better be alive and well or your kind might just have to say farewell to existing."

He stood, opening his jacket and hiding the dagger in the pocket he kept close to his breast. "That means we'll kill every single one of you." He turned and started to walk away, but the sound of a dry cackle stopped him. He looked over his shoulder to the creature he left on the ground.

"I just remembered something," the creature said, looking like he just uncovered a treasure trove of all its hidden pleasures. "If you do what you say you'll do, be prepared for an uprising, _human_. Your reign will only last so long before our savior steps forward to bring us back into the light. If she is dead she is one lucky _bitch_ to not have to witness the destruction of her kind."

As the creature talked, Natsu became more enraged. He didn't wait to see if the creature had more to say; he grabbed his dagger from his jacket pocket and threw it, hiding his satisfaction that it landed on target, pinning the creature against the wall by its shoulder. Its screams were almost unbearable, but Natsu revelled in it. The creature's pain was his pleasure, and he allowed the thing to live for another five seconds of painful Hell before ending its misery. He grabbed a second dagger from his belt, forcing the blade into the chest of the appalling creature. Within seconds the screams turned into gurgles, and the holy item glowed. The creature's chest flamed, engulfing it in a white-hot fire. Though he stood only a few feet away from the fire, the heat didn't bother Natsu in the slightest. In fact, it was because of the fire effect that he chose these specific weapons.

The fire soon died down, leaving nothing but a charred mark against the brick and mortar, his two daggers laying peacefully on the ground. He bent to pick up the weapons, but froze once he was only a couple inches away, his regret for killing the creature suddenly making itself known.

Now he'd have to go out and find another one to spread the word.

Standing up, he looked up at the clear night sky. It was the cloudless night Lucy would have loved. He could see each and every star, glittering the heavens, twinkling in laughter, as she would put it. Pocketing his weapons, he pulled his jacket close, and walked out of the alley. He would find her, and she would be alive, or he would make sure no vampire walked the Earthland without the fear of having him stalking them.

 _Please be okay, Luce_ , he whispered to himself.


	5. Chapter 4

~.~ Chapter 4 ~.~

Lucy groaned, coming awake. She felt refreshed, like she hadn't slept in ages. Truth be told, she hadn't had a full night's sleep in years.

"Ah, the miss is awake."

Her eyes darted open and she quickly shot up. Looking around, she realized she was in the same room as before. Her sudden movement had caused her to be light headed, startling her brain, it seemed. She placed a hand on her temple, but a slight tug on her hand stopped her. She blinked down at her hand, and nearly started flailing.

She had needles stuck in her hands. Worse...there were tubes attached to the needles, red tubes, and they were attached to beeping machines and bags filled with red liquid.

Realization dawned on her and she immediately moved to remove the IVs from her hands, clawing at the tape that kept them in place. The man who had spoke to her quickly rushed to her side, trying to grab her arms. The moment he grabbed her, she realized that he was a mortal, not a vampire. Though, in her book, volunteers and servants were almost as bad as their vampire masters.

"Please don't remove them," he was trying to say. "If you do it wrong, blood will go everywhere - "

As if to prove his point, she had succeeded in pulling one of the needles out, but the pair of them were immediately drenched in the red, sticky substance. Lucy screamed as the blood splattered on her body, on the man trying to hold her down, on her clothes, and the bed.

The man jumped for the machine and pushed a button, immediately stopping the flow of the liquid, and Lucy took that chance to rip the other needle from her arm, resulting in the same consequence.

"Lady Lucy, please stop pulling the needles out of your hands!" he reprimanded.

She froze, staring at the blood covered man - who, by the way, was very annoyed that he was blood covered - and finally managed to take stock of what was going on. The man cursed and twisted the tubes, stopping the excess blood from seeping out.

"We need to get you cleaned up," he was muttering as he set the tubes aside. "If His Highness comes in here, and you're looking like that, he'll kill me, for sure."

"What are you doing?" she asked, pushing herself back until she was up against the headboard.

The man glanced at her for only a second before he started playing with the IV machine. "I've been giving you blood," he replied.

Her heart started racing, and her face fell. He was giving her blood. Who's blood was he giving her? Why was he giving it to her in the first place? Did they even know her blood type? Was she going to get some disease now because they were so careless with what they were doing?

"What?" was all she could get out. A million questions running through her mind, and that seemed all she was able to say.

The man sighed. "You had your blood drained to an almost lethal point," he said. "It was the first time his Highness had fed in over a hundred years, so he got a little carried away." He crossed his arms over his chest as he looked down at her. "I was directed to give you a blood transfusion so you could heal faster."

"What?" It seemed like the connection from her brain to her mouth had broken, and she was still in shock and awe at what was happening.

The man rolled his eyes and grabbed at the blanket she managed to kick off her, rolling it around his arms.

"We need to get you cleaned up before His Highness shows up." He moved to the wardrobe that was across the room and opened it, revealing a row of dresses. She kept her eyes on him as he shuffled through them. He decided on a long black evening gown with a halter top. He threw the gown over the back of the chair by the desk, and he looked at her again. Lucy wasn't dense enough to question who that dress war for, but she had no intention of changing into it.

Glancing down at her now blood drenched clothes - the same ones she was wearing when she left her apartment - she thought for a moment that changing wouldn't be a bad idea, but she didn't want to get changed into vampire clothes.

The man walked back to her and looked at her expectantly. "There's a tub in the bathroom over there." He pointed to another door she hadn't noticed before, just at the foot of the bed. "If you go wash up, I'll clean in here."

He watched her expectantly, but she had no intention of moving. She didn't trust this man, and she couldn't fathom what he had hidden in that room that he called a bathroom. Even if it was a bathroom like he claimed, she would first be caught in Hell before she bathed there.

"I know who you are," he told her. "Do you really think I'd be stupid enough to harm you?" He began pulling the sheets off the bed, pausing only when the sheets were snagged under Lucy. "Not only would I have the whole of Fairy Tail on my ass, but his Highness would also have my insides for dinner."

Lucy groaned at that image. She'd seen her fair share of gore over the years, but that didn't mean she was immune to it. She still felt squeamish when she was forced to witness parts of a person's body that weren't supposed to be on the outside.

"Please, go wash up, put the dress on, and by the time you're done, the room will be cleaned and you can go back to sleeping, or whatever you want to do to pass the time."

Glancing down at her blood soaked arm, she sighed and conceded with the man. She turned slightly and placed her feet on the ground, glancing at the man who now stood a few feet away from the bed. She still wasn't sure how long she'd actually been asleep, and, if it had been for awhile, her legs might need a little more waking up before she could confidently walk across the room. It had been a very long time since she'd felt so weak that she couldn't do anything on her own, and she refused to let the man know she might actually need help.

She put all her weight on her feet, but continued to hold onto the bed, and she chanced a step. Just as she suspected, her legs refused to work as of yet, and she felt herself stumble forward. Just as she was about to fall, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her chest, catching her before she fell onto the floor. She tried to push the man off her, but he refused to budge. Growling slightly, she glanced up to berate him for even thinking about touching her, but her words were pulled from her mouth.

The man stood on the opposite side of the room, his eyes wide as he tried to push himself further into the wall. He was shaking his head quickly, his mouth opening and closing as if he was trying to think of something to say. Lucy bit her lip and looked at the one who held her, and she tried to push him off her. Zeref had a tight hold on her, and she squeaked as he jostled her up so he could hold her close to his body.

"Your Highness…" the man whispered, inching his way along the wall, never taking his eyes off Zeref.

Lucy cringed as she felt Zeref's body vibrate as he growled, a low, deep sounding growl that sent shivers through her body. Just hearing the sound made her almost freeze in fear, and the threat wasn't even pointed towards her. The danger emanated off the vampire that held her, and it had been so long that she'd felt any sort of fear toward any vampire that it was an alien emotion.

"Don't move," Zeref growled at the man, who obeyed instantly. He gulped, but other than that he stayed in his position. Zeref whipped his head toward her, his eyes red with anger instantly softening, the glow dimming until they were the calming black that she prefered to see. He put his hands on her shoulders to hold her up as he stepped back, his eyes roaming over her body. "You are hurt," he said softly.

She couldn't respond, even as his hands tightened on her shoulders and he turned back to the man.

"I smell her blood," he said. "You hurt her?"

"I did n-not, Sire," the man whimpered, his knees buckling and he fell to the floor. "I-I was giving her b-blood, as you requested, when she pulled the n-needle out of her hand."

Lucy almost felt bad for him. She knew he was going to be punished for what she did, and she was pulled between not giving a crap and giving a whole lot of crap. As Zeref let her go, she fell to the bed, relieved to have his cold body away from her, but she couldn't let him punish the man, who was now whimpering and cowering on the floor as Zeref stalked towards him.

"I gave specific orders for her to not be harmed in any way," the older vampire was saying.

"Wait!"

He reached down to grab the man when Lucy called out, stopping him from touching the poor, terrified mortal. Zeref looked at her expectantly, but she wasn't sure what to do next. His eyes were once again glowing, and she was paralyzed, unable to speak, or even think as he stared at her. His hand inched towards the man, and she felt the spell break, and she held out her hands, palms down. The punctures from the IV needle were clearly visible, and Zeref's mouth twitched as he watched her blood slowly seep from the wounds.

"He speaks the truth," she whispers, feeling more brave as he eases away from the man. "I woke up and pulled them out of my hands. He is not at fault."

As she spoke, Zeref made his way towards her, moving like a cat stalking his prey, his eyes not once moving from her hands. He moved so gracefully she could have sworn it looked like was he floating. She refused to back away from him, however, as he reached out and gently took her hands in his, pulling them close to his face as he seemed to sniff the wounds.

She did, though, jump as his tongue darted out and licked her hand, but he held her tight. She shivered as he closed his eyes for just an instant, seeming to relish the taste of her, his surprisingly warm tongue pausing for just a split second as it moved over the puncture site.

He glanced up at her through his eyelashes as he moved from one hand to the next, licking the blood off her skin, closing the openings so she no longer bled. He let go of her hand to place his palm against her cheek, but she didn't know quite what to do. Her body shook, and she was confused to whether it was from fear or pleasure, and that's what scared her the most.

"Why do you hurt yourself, my angel?" he whispered. "You need to be more cautious for your frail body."

Her mind went blank as she stared at his eyes, and she stammered an apology, barely loud enough to be called a whisper. It was more like her lips formed the words, but nothing really came out, but he understood, and he smiled. She gulped down the happiness that wanted to show itself when she realized he approved of her. Why was she feeling that way? She hated these creatures; she hated him; she hated the man on the ground for associating with these creatures. They were the cause of her childhood trauma, the reason she joined Fairy Tail, the reason she was the expert vampire hunter she was today, second only to Master Makarov.

"You should clean up," Zeref pointed out, breaking the spell, allowing her move again. She blinked and looked around the room, almost confused about her location. What was she doing there? Where was _there_ in the first place?

He stood up and let her go, ignoring the dress the man had gotten out for her, and went for the closet, blindly grabbing another dress, throwing it over his arm. He held his hand out to her, and she obediently grasped it, allowing him to pull her up and start to lead her to the bathroom.

"You will clean this mess," he ordered of the man, who bowed his head as he clambered up and resumed pulling the blankets off the bed, moving more quickly than before.

She didn't protest as Zeref closed the door behind them, setting the dress on the vanity next to the door. She wasn't sure why she didn't protest - her entire body was screaming for her to push him off her, even as he set her down on the stool in front of the vanity - but she kept her mouth shut as he moved about, getting the bath ready.

The tub sat in the far corner. It was large, looking more like a spa than a tub, with a golden faucet and knobs that Zeref played with to get the perfect temperature. There was a wall behind the tub that opened up to a shower. There was a sink next to the vanity where she sat, and a toilet next to the sink. A large mirror hung on the wall next to the tub opposite side of the shower. She shouldn't have been surprised, but the lack of reflection from the king of vampires was still unnerving.

She bit her lip and clenched her fists in her lap. Why was she acting like an excited maiden, under the vampire's spell? She'd never been under a spell before, and she knew what he was capable of. She knew he wasn't going to romance her, like the naive volunteers hoped for when they thought of vampires. They weren't creatures who could love, or show compassion. They were bloodthirsty killing machines, whose only soul purpose was to entice their prey and, once they have the full control of the unsuspecting human, they drained their blood until they died. No compassion, no remorse.

And yet...here was the _king_ of these creatures, fussing over her health, helping her with the tub.

Once he was satisfied with the water temperature, he turned to her and smiled - smiled! - genuinely pleased with himself. He moved toward her, and proceeded to undress her...and she let him. She wasn't sure why, but she allowed him to pull her shirt over her head. She didn't blush or cover her chest when she sat in just her bra. She was under a spell, she had to be. There was no other explanation for why she let him handle her, undress her, and then carry her to the tub. The fact that she was fully aware that she might be under a spell didn't deter her in the slightest - vampire spells didn't work if the victim knew they were being enchanted.

The moment her body felt the water did she finally seem to wake up. She flailed and darted for the opposite side of the tub, crossing her arms over her chest and she stared at him. He blinked at her, confused with her actions. She blinked at him, feeling like she was seeing him for the first time. He wore a white dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up past his elbows so he didn't get them wet. The shirt was tucked into black dress pants, held up by a small belt.

"I can clean myself," she muttered, looking away from his concerned gaze, her cheeks flushing bright red.

"Fine," he said, standing up. He watched her, his arms hanging limply at his sides. When she didn't move, he seemed to finally realize she wanted him out of the room. "I'll be just outside the door if you need me," he stated. "Don't hurt yourself any more, please. If I smell any more of your blood I will be in here in an instant, and I _will_ be the one washing you."

She refused to look at him, hardly moved at all until she heard the door opening and closing. She bit her lip as her emotions finally seemed to make themselves known. It was like, in his presence, her feelings hid from him, and she became an empty shell. She clenched her teeth as she felt tears well up in her eyes. She didn't want to cry, but she didn't think she had much of a choice. She was scared, there was no denying it.

She slowly sank in the water until it reached her chin, and she found herself wishing Natsu would come and find her, take her away from this place, back to Fairy Tail where she was the confident Hunter she always was. She didn't like becoming helpless when Zeref was around.

She wanted to go home.

* * *

The door opened, and Natsu immediately threw the dagger at the intruder. He was trying to sleep, and he didn't really care who was walking through his door at that moment, unless it was Lucy. Luckily for the person who had opened the door, she was almost as trained as he was, and avoided the weapon easily. He glared at the door from his spot on the sofa, his hand slowly reaching for another hidden weapon, seeing as how his first attempt missed his target marginally, the dagger sticking into the door frame. The door swung open, but the person on the other side of it just pissed him off more, though instead of tossing another sharp object their way, he pulled his blanket over his head and lay back down.

"Natsu, what are you still doing here?" Erza asked, crossing her arms over her chest. The lump on the sofa only grunted, irritating the redhead. She stalked into the room and pulled the blanket off him, unfazed by his half naked state. Actually, she was surprised that he was clothed at all; for as long as she knew him, he was always so uncomfortable sleeping with clothes on, so he normally slept naked. Then again, he was on someone else's couch, in someone else's apartment.

Natsu glared up at the woman. "I'm trying to sleep," he growled. "Master pretty much grounded me from leaving until I do." He sat up and glanced up at the newcomer. "What are you doing here, Erza? Back from your mission already?"

She sighed and sat down next to him. "Master called me in, so I had to end it earlier than planned." She looked around the room. "How long has it been?" she nearly whispered.

"Two days," he whispered back, grabbing the glass from the coffee table and downing the beverage. His face scrunched, and Erza briefly wondered what the contents of that drink actually were, but she let it go.

"And we have no leads?"

"Nothing." He spat the word with so much hatred and anger, she almost flinched. For as long as she'd known him, she had never heard such malice come out of him, even when he first showed up claiming his father was taken by vampires. She knew he was close with his blonde partner, and to have her suddenly disappear seemed almost like his father's incident all over again.

Erza chanced placing her arm around his shoulders, but relaxed when he let her pull him to her body. She rubbed his arm as he closed his eyes and sighed.

"It's my fault she's gone," he whispered. Erza remained silent, knowing he'd probably heard refusals to his claims more than he wished, so she let him speak. "If I had just believed her...She isn't someone to just make up stories like that. Why didn't I believe her?"

"I don't think anyone would have believed her, Natsu. I don't think she saw what she thought she saw, and she was overreacting."

"Doesn't matter now, does it?" Natsu pushed off her and stood up, walking towards Lucy's bedroom door, stopping before going in. "So why are you _here_?" he repeated, turning toward the woman sitting on the couch.

Erza stared at the wall across the room from her. Finally, she licked her lips and stood up, crossing her arms over her chest, her eyes roaming around the room. "Master sent me to watch over you," she confessed.

"I don't need - "

"There's been rumors about someone torturing the vampires," she interrupted, setting her dark eyes on him. He looked away. She knew it was him, not much got passed Erza. "Master wants me to watch over you. Make sure you behave."

Natsu turned around and threw his fist into the door of Lucy's bedroom, satisfied with the hole he produced. "I am behaving!" he shouted. "I'm doing my job, Erza! One of our own has been taken away from us, and I'm just trying to find out where she is, and if she's still alive!" He whipped around, his eyes almost glowing in anger, however, Erza remained calm. "I swear, if one of those _creatures_ hurt my Lucy - "

"Calm yourself, Natsu," she barked. Stepping up to the infuriated young man, she grasped his shoulders, trying to calm him down. "We all share the same feelings. She's one of our own, and be damned if something happens to her. Don't make the mistake in thinking you're the only one who cares for her."

Natsu sighed and pushed her hands off his shoulders, stepping around her and going back to his couch. "I know I'm not, Erza." He sat down and placed his head in his hands, taking deep breaths. "But it's _my_ fault that she's gone," he repeated. "It's _my_ fault she ran off, so it's _my_ responsibility to bring her back."

Erza had followed him, but she sat on the coffee table in front of him, placing her hands on his cheeks and lifting his head, his hands falling, so he was eye to eye with her. She smiled slightly.

"And it's _our_ responsibility to help you," she whispered. "Don't feel like you're alone in this, because you know better." She watched as he nodded, but pulled him to her when his face started scrunching in pain. She wasn't known for her comforting skills, but she knew he needed someone right then, and she was the only one there. She held him, running her hands through his hair, rubbing comforting circles on his back, keeping absolutely silent as he quietly cried for his missing partner, and best friend.


	6. Chapter 5

**AN: Sorry for the late update. I've had issues with this chapter. I think, when I first wrote it, it was more experimental, but it's sort of become part of the actual plot line now, so I've been editing it constantly the last few weeks...I'm still a little 'meh' about it, and I'm sure I won't be the only one to think so. But, I'm posting it now, whether I dislike it or not, just so we can get it over and finally move on. So, without further ado, here's the next chapter.**

* * *

Lucy rubbed her arms as she looked at herself in the mirror. The dress that had been picked out for her was a simple black piece of lingerie, with spaghetti straps, and it ended midthigh. The fabric was satiny, and it hung on her figure loosely. She felt naked with it on, with no place to hide her weapons. She couldn't remember wearing anything so revealing in front of anyone - well, anyone other than Natsu, but that was back when they were in a relationship - they had tried in their late teens, but it was too awkward. The only protection she was allowed on her person was her cross necklace, which hung to just above her cleavage.

She hated how pale her skin looked in contrast to the black fabric, having prided herself in keeping up with a tan, despite her nightlife. Had she really lost so much blood that her skin color changed so dramatically?

There was a knock on the door, and she jumped, looking away from her reflection towards the dreaded portal to _that_ room. She had lost track of time with how long she'd been in there, but she refused to voluntarily go back, where she knew that man was waiting for her. No, not a man...a vampire, and not just any vampire, either, the king, who was now knocking on the door.

"Are you dressed, my angel?" he enquired. Without waiting for an answer, he opened the door, and smiled as soon as he saw her. Her hand immediately went up to grasp her cross as he walked to her, his arms spread. "A vision of Heaven," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders, kneading comfortingly, though she was anything but comforted. She shrugged out of his grasp and walked into the room, noting briefly that the other man was gone, as was the blood mess. Had she really been hiding in the bathroom for that long?

She flinched when she felt the vampire wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. She tried to pull away, but he held her tightly, his face close to her neck, sniffing her.

"Why are you keeping me here?" she asked in a whisper, not wanting to give him the satisfaction that he was affecting her body, his cold skin sending shivers through her body, her shaking voice reflecting those shivers.

"I don't want any harm to come to you," he replied, in an equally quiet whisper.

"Why did you bring me here in the first place?"

She could feel his lips against her neck, smiling, but he remained silent. She closed her eyes and found herself praying for him to let her go, but he only tightened his hold on her as he continued moving his mouth over skin, his lips parted as if he were drinking in her essence.

"What do you want from me?" Her heart sped in her chest as he tilted her head back to lean against his shoulder. "I'm not important in any way. What could you possibly gain by keeping me here?"

"Hm? Don't disregard yourself so flippantly, my dear," he replied with an eyebrow raised. "My reasons are completely selfish, Lucy. It has been too long since I'd been in the presence of a being such as yourself, and I do not intend to let you leave me. Not like the others."

"Others?"

"Mhm…" He ran his nose over her exposed vein as he hummed.

She hated that her body was responding to him, from the shivers and chills of her skin, to the warmth pooling in her lower stomach. At least her mind was still her own, and she would gladly say that she was not enjoying his attention mentally.

"I allowed myself to be talked into that whole, 'if you love her, let her go' nonsense, and I've suffered for centuries because of it. Now, that I have you, I refuse to let you go."

"But why?" she begged, ignoring the fact that he might have just hinted that he loved her; there was no way, the idea was laughable. "There's millions of women out there who _actually_ would want to be with you. Why pick me? What about me appeals so much to you?"

"There's many reasons that we are drawn to each other, Lucy," he responded, slowly moving her back to the bed, where he sat down, pulling her with him so she was straddling his lap, the hem of her dress bunching uncomfortably up her thighs. She opened her mouth to reject his claim that they were drawn to each other, but he placed a kiss on her skin where her neck and shoulder met, and it instantly quieted her.

He chuckled when he felt the change in her demeanor. She loved that feeling, so he did it again. She clutched his shoulders tightly as he, once again, placed his hot tongue against that delectable vein that ran along her neck.

"For one," he began, holding her body tightly against his, "your body craves mine, and mine yours." To prove his point, he placed a hand on her breast, just gently resting his palm on the large mound, and yet it was enough to make her bow her back, her head falling back as a surprised gasp escaped her mouth. The action caused her lower body to press against his hips, which elicited a sudden grunt from him. He smirked as she brought her head down to stare at him with half-lidded eyes.

"See? Just a simple touch - " he did it again, but actually grasped her breast, and her forehead dropped to his shoulder as she whimpered, " - and your body is swimming to the brim with need."

She wasn't the only one, she noticed, as his hands moved down to grasp her hips, and she could feel his hardness through his slacks. She bit her lip as a small voice piped up in the back of her mind. _He's already fed this night,_ it said. She wasn't in danger of being bitten, or, at least, drained of her blood like the last time he bit her. She's heard of cases where vampires were too excited during intimate moments, killing their human partners.

Her mind immediately fogged again as he licked her neck again.

"Two," he continued, "Your blood is the essence of the gods, and your body has rejected every other attempt at having some peon try to taste you." Her mind immediately went to that day when she watched her parents being attacked when she was a child, the attacker refused to drink her blood, though he had claimed to want it.

Zeref grabbed a fistful of blonde hair and pulled her head back so she could look at him in the eyes. He smiled. "Only a God can have you, my dear, and that God is me."

"You're no God," she managed to say. She rejoiced for being able to hold a little bit of sanity while he looked at her with those predatory eyes - the subtle glow they were emitting didn't frighten her as before. "You're just a vampire, and all vampires can be killed."

He wasn't worried, in the least. In fact, he threw his head back and laughed. She puffed her cheeks as he laughed at her, and her mind quickly sobered, allowing her the strength to try to push off him, though it wasn't doing much help since he still held her in an iron-tight grip. He brought his eyes back to her, and she froze, but not from any power, she noticed. His eyes glittered from laughter, and he was genuinely happy, she could see. Releasing her hair, he brought his hand to gently place it against her cheek, and she found herself leaning into it, though she still didn't know why.

"Spoken like a true master hunter, my darling," he said. "But you don't want to kill me."

Her eyebrows furrowed, though she still didn't move her head off his hand. She opened her mouth to argue her point, but he interrupted her.

"Which brings me to another point." He brought her face close to his own so they were mere centimeters away. He rubbed his nose against hers, his eyes closing briefly as he took in a deep breath. He relished in her scent before he continued. "We can't stop thinking about the other. You were drawn to me that night," he said, opening his eyes. "It wasn't by accident that you were there on that particular night. It wasn't by accident that you were the one I first saw when I opened my eyes. Call it fate, or destiny, but something brought us together." His smile was soft, almost like he had more to say on the matter.

Lucy glanced away as she recalled the warm tug when she first saw him. He didn't mean there literally was something tying them together, did he? Lucy believed in a lot of supernatural occurrences - some more than others even - but she didn't believe this magical tie they seemed to have together. She was just unlucky, that's all.

Zeref continued. "That something is also the reason neither of us can kill each other."

She scoffed, but then her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She knew he was hard to kill - she learned that by trial and error- but she doubted he was absolutely immortal. She could kill him if she found the way to do so.

 _It's not a matter of wanting to,_ something spoke in her mind. _There's something stronger at work. You will not kill him._

"And no matter how hard I tried, you wouldn't die."

Lucy tried to pull away at that, but he held her fast, placing his surprisingly warm forehead against her own.

"Yes, I tried to kill you at the park," he said. "And then again after you passed out, and then once more as you lay in here, beautifully blissfully unaware of the danger you were in, and I grabbed that dagger and tried to force it into your heart, and it was like sticking a knife into a perfectly baked cake, but you still remained alive."

Lucy glanced down, unable to move her head, and her heart started pounding, but out of fear instead of pleasure. There wasn't a mark on her chest that she could see, nor did she remember seeing anything to prove his story when she was inspecting herself in the mirror earlier.

"Don't look so shocked, my love," Zeref continued, forcing her eyes back to his. "I felt the same panic when you tried to kill me first."

"I don't understand," she finally managed to breathe out.

"Neither do I," he admitted. "I can't seem to get you off my mind. It's so infuriating that I, King, cannot kill a simple human, but doesn't that just make _this_ all the more exciting?"

She stilled as he brought his lips to her own, finally fully closing the distance between them. She didn't want it, but she didn't pull away. Why? Why couldn't she pull away when she clearly knew, with every fiber of her being, that she didn't want to be kissing him.

 _But do you really not want it?_ that annoying little voice asked.

He gently ran his tongue over her bottom lip, and she immediately opened to allow him access. Her mind went blank as he invaded her mouth, taking as he pleased, dominating her entire being by just that simple act. She moaned and leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She didn't know what suddenly changed in her - probably another trick - but he was all she wanted in that moment. Nothing else in the world mattered right then. Vampires, hunters, the rest of the world, Natsu, the guild...nothing mattered except for Zeref's mouth on hers, sending warm bolts of...something...through her body. In her mind's eye, she could see dark shadows, almost the shape of tendrils, running all over her body, collecting in her heart, her mind, and enforcing themselves in her lower regions.

She didn't know what he was doing to her, but she didn't reject the dark magic he was sending through her, even though she briefly wondered what sort of evil it was she was seeing, but she didn't mind it; it felt more amazing than anything she'd felt so far.

He moved from her mouth, trailing kisses down her jaw, and, once again, making his way to her neck. Still, she clutched him to her, gasping in delight as gently nipped her, though without enough force to break the skin.

"Just one question," she managed. Zeref hummed his response, and, though her mind was a jumbled mess at that moment, she had to hold onto one last thing before she completely fell under his spell. _It's not a spell,_ that little voice in the back of her head told her. _You're enjoying it, and all he's doing is touching you._

"Y-you said my blood was the essence of the gods," she breathed out in a rush. She didn't know for how much longer she'd be able to recite coherent sentences, so she had to hurry.

"It's the absolute highest of quality, my dear." He turned them around so he could lay her on the bed, his body looming over hers, all without detaching himself from her neck.

"How do you know this?" she asked.

"Later," he answered, pulling the strap of her dress down so he could kiss her shoulder. "We have been denied each other for far too long. If you must think about anything…" He lifted his head to look down at her, and he smirked. "Think about this." He reached down and placed his fingers against her underwear. She hadn't even realized her dress had ridden up so high, but the moment she felt him touch her her mind went completely blank of anything save for the way his fingers felt against her core from over the cloth of her underwear.

He smiled down at the angelic woman before him, grasping the sheets as he pleased her. Her voice sounded like the most heavenly tune he'd ever heard. The way she smelled to him only brought him closer to her being, smelling of strawberries, vanilla, and something else, something hidden to all except him; only he could truly bask in the aroma she emitted.

He had tried so hard to resist her - tried killing her many times, as he told her - and yet he couldn't bring himself to do it. This was much better, however. He pushed her dress up higher and he bent down, placing his lips on her stomach. He could hear her pulse quicken just under him, and he wanted to taste her so badly. He wanted to feel the rush of her blood flowing into his mouth; he wanted to see her pale skin stained red with her essence of the gods.

Her legs tightened on his body, and he realized he had been rubbing her through her panties this whole time. He used his fingers to push the fabric aside, and slipped a finger inside almost immediately. She gasped at the sudden intrusion, and he looked up her body to her face, absolutely taken with the look of sheer pleasure on her features. He entered another finger and started moving in and out of her. She moaned and arched her back, trying to deepen the penetration.

Zeref softly chuckled at her enthusiasm, but he was brought down to her core, sniffing in the scent she emitted, and he slowed only momentarily. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to empty his mind of nothing but her. He finally had his angel, and nothing was going to take her from him.

She gasped as she watched him quickly place his face between her legs, his tongue darting out to lick her juices that leaked from her opening. He resumed pumping his fingers in and out of her as he circled his tongue around her clit, only rubbing over it every so often. It seemed like she hadn't done anything like this in so long, and she fell apart quicker than she remember ever doing, crying out and arching her upper body off the bed. She immediately grabbed his hair, clutching onto him tightly as he continued licking her and cleaning off her orgasm. He had pulled his fingers out and was pushing her thighs apart as he did so, but she didn't remember him removing his fingers.

Zeref pulled up, his eyes closed in pure elation, having never tasted anything as delicious as her, though nothing could match the taste of her blood. He licked his lips as his eyes slowly opened and he gazed down at her, taking in how her pale skin flushed from head to toe. He leaned over her body and brought his face close to her own, allowing her breathing to calm as she floated down from her sudden high.

"You're so beautiful," he found himself saying, brushing stray strands of hair from her face. Her eyes opened and she stared back at him, gulping at their sudden closeness.

Without breaking eye contact, she brought her hands up to his chest and started undoing the buttons of his shirt, using only the feel of her fingertips to guide her way. He leaned forward and placed a hard kiss on her mouth as the touch of her fingers played against his skin as she searched for the next button, and the next until his shirt hung completely open. She ran her hands up his stomach, secretly surprised to feel that he was actually muscular, but not overbearingly so. She pushed his shirt back over his shoulders, and helped his arms through the sleeves.

She brought her hands between them to start undoing his buckle with a new sense of urgency, needing to have him inside her again, though with something much more appealing than just his fingers and tongue - though she wasn't complaining in the slightest. All she could keep thinking was, if his fingers could make her feel the way they did, then how amazing would his dick feel?

And for just a moment she found herself questioning why she was thinking about a _vampire's_ dick.

He helped her unbutton his pants after she had played with his belt for long enough, seeming to share her excitement and curiosity of how they would feel together. While he pushed his pants down, she immediately grabbed for him as the object of her imaginations bounced free. He grunted as she rubbed her soft hands over him, and all he wanted in that moment was to be inside her.

He shoved her hands off him and grabbed her hips, positioning himself so his tip barely rested against her entrance. Her heartbeat quickened, just with the anticipation of what was to come, and he could have listened to it all day. However, she couldn't wait all day, so he pushed inside her.

Lucy gasped as he slowly filled her, excited that he was finally inside her, but growing more desperate the slower he went. Zeref had his eyes closed, reveling in the feel of finally being inside her. Sure, they only just met a couple days ago, but it's been all he could think about. Honestly, he was absolutely infuriated. The moment he laid eyes on her upon wakening, all he could think about was having her, draining her blood, and loving her body.

His neck jerked slightly as he thought of her blood. It tasted so immaculate, almost like she really was created by the angels of Heaven, just for him to indulge himself. He hungered for her now, though he promised himself he wouldn't so soon, not until she was fully recovered.

He quickened his pace, trying to ease his hunger. He couldn't understand; he had fed earlier for this very reason, so he wouldn't be tempted to feed on her again. The last time he did so, it almost killed her. But, she can't die, not by his hands...So, could he really kill her by drinking her blood? He wasn't about to try; just the thought of her dying because he couldn't control himself sent him into a frenzy. He was practically pounding into her at this point, unable to control his body from feeling her warm insides, hearing her gasps and cries of joy and pleasure as he continued to go deeper and deeper.

He had stamina, she gave him that much. It didn't take long for another wave of pure ecstasy to roll over her body, and she reached up to grab onto him, whatever she could grab onto. He didn't falter as she dug her nails into his arm, probably producing blood with how tight she clenched him.

Eventually, though, he did slow, and she opened her eyes in question. He was looking at his arms where she was grabbing him, and, sure enough, she had drawn blood. He slowed to a stop as he pried her hands off him, and she wondered if she did something wrong, if she angered him. He inspected her nails for a brief moment before moving his eyes down to her body.

She was pale, almost as much as he, and he loved it...however, the moment he saw his blood on her fingers, his mind clouded, his focus on nothing save for that bright color shining against her fingers. He licked his lips as he stared down at her, fighting his last bit of control to bite her, just so he could watch the red mix with her perfect skin. Leaning down, he stopped just above her shoulder, taking in her scent, as he seemed unable to stop doing. She gasped as he stuck his tongue out and gently traced little designs on her skin, fighting with himself to not bite her.

Lucy's heart rate quickened. It was as if this hesitation of his allowed her to come back to herself. A vampire...she had to remind herself that he's the enemy. She fell for his fancy words and whatever magic he forced into her - not to mention it's been so long since she's done this, no wonder she succumbed to the sex so easily.

He won his internal battle, feeling her sudden turmoil, but he still hungered to see her. Without taking his eyes off her, he brought his wrist to his mouth, and punctured his skin, just enough to produce a steady stream of blood, which immediately started dropping onto her stomach. He watched with fascination as her muscles twitched with the sudden addition of the liquid, but she wasn't as scared as she originally thought she'd be.

She enjoyed seeing the look of innocent wonder on his features as he watched himself bleed onto her, but she needed him to continue what he was doing. She knew vampires - though she didn't have much experience in their lovemaking aspects - and she knew how to get him going again.

He was so enraptured with watching the blood splatter, little droplets slowly pooling into her belly, snaking their way down her sides, leaving bright red trails in their wake, that he didn't notice her moving until her hand appeared in his sights. He glanced up at her face, and was nearly taken aback by the look of determination on her features. When had his little angel become such a little demon?

Lucy rubbed her hand up her stomach and in between her breasts, relieved when he resumed moving, slowly at first, seemingly too focused on watching her hands moved through the blood on her stomach, but he was quickly building up speed again. Her eyes closed and she let her head fall back again, her hands moving to rest by her head.

Zeref, apparently, didn't like when she stopped spreading the blood, so he leaned forward and continued her work. He started with circling her stomach, and slowly moving outwards. If the blood started drying, he wasted no time in licking his hands to add that little bit of necessary moisture to keep it going until her entire torso was streaked with red. It excited him to see her perfectly flawless skin, marred by _his_ blood, but it wasn't enough. As she started writhing under him, he leaned down and captured her mouth with his. _More_ , he thought. _I need more…_

Her third orgasm hit her seemingly out of nowhere, and she gasped and arched into his body, pushing her breasts into his chest, earning a satisfied growl from him. It was unexpected, what he did next, and she wondered if he even realized what he had done before they even finished…

A sudden sharp pain emitted from her breast, and she opened her eyes to see Zeref's mouth attached to her skin just above her nipple. His eyelids fluttered as her blood seeped into his mouth. He had every intention of letting go just so he could watch the blood flow over her body, but as soon as the sweet, liquid candy touched his lips, he was unable to break free. It was like the first time he bit her, the first time when he tried to kill her; the taste was so unexpectedly sweet, his body grew warm and light, and he was unable to pull himself away from the high she was giving him.

His cheeks and throat moved as he sucked and swallowed the blood, but she wasn't afraid. She enjoyed seeing him attached to her, enjoying her, knowing that she had the power to make him lose control and forget himself. She grabbed his hair and clenched tightly, actually enjoying the warmth she felt from his mouth, but he managed to pull away, blood spilling down his chin, though it didn't frighten her like it should have. Instead, it just released another sudden climax, and she felt her body rising. He pulled her up so he could hold her against him, and she found herself watching the blood stream from the bite mark on her breast.

Seeing her watch her wound so curiously caused him to finally reach his peak, and he grabbed her chin and crushed his mouth against hers, groaning into her mouth as his dick twitched and let out his seed into her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, drinking in his sounds, both blissfully unconcerned about the bite wound, and the fact that she was pretty much drinking her own blood from his mouth. All they were focused on, in that moment, was each other's bodies, still pressed tightly against one another, Lucy having never felt more desperate in her life to make sure this man - no, vampire - never left her embrace.

Had she been in her right mind then, she would have immediately pushed him off, but there had to be a stronger force involved, keeping them locked together. Zeref didn't understand it either, and though he had absolutely no intention of actually screwing her in the first place, he couldn't say he was disappointed with how things turned out. He pulled away, albeit begrudgingly - and his heart nearly tore at the sound of her whimpering as he did so - and he looked down at the bite. He hadn't meant to do it, but the sight was astonishing. He bent down and licked it, his saliva effectively closing it so no more of her blood was wasted. Satisfied that there were no more opened wounds, he wrapped his arms around her waist and gently pushed her back down.

Her eyes never left his, even as he placed more gentle kisses on her chest where the bite mark was. They had no intention of continuing having sex, but Zeref almost refused to pull out of her. She was his, he knew that, just like he was hers, and he almost wasn't able to part his body from her. It had been so long since he'd felt any sort of possession for any creature, and for good reason. The last few times, he had loved and lost, bending to the will of the mortal life; but he was not mortal. He didn't want to lose another person who was precious to him. He didn't want to turn her - she seemed to hate his kind with a passion, and he wouldn't force her live with being one of them - but there were other ways to keep her with him.

Placing one more gentle kiss on her mouth, he adjusted himself so he lay behind her, keeping his arms wrapped around her waist. She was exhausted, he could tell. He nuzzled into her hair, ignoring the fact his mouth was still covered in blood, and some of it stuck to her hair. He briefly planned to wash them up later, but, for now, he wanted her to sleep. His poor angel had been through so much, and he had a sinking suspicion she wouldn't be a happy woman once she woke up, and he was ready for her backlash.

* * *

Sighing at the tome in front of him, Zeref ran his fingers over the text. The words hadn't changed from when he read them before, but he hoped now their meaning would. Because if that didn't change, then something was wrong with _him_. That was the only explanation he could conjure.

The text spoke of an angel, and his mind immediately thought of Lucy, laying bare on her bed, sleeping soundly after another round of…whatever that was. Not to say he was completely ignorant of the act - he knew exactly what had transpired between them - but what he didn't know was why it happened at all…twice.

It wasn't the first time he's allowed one of them to bed him - hell, he even allowed the boy that one time - but he only did it because it was what _they_ wanted. The moment he realized his life was bound to theirs he made sure they were happy with him, wanting to keep him alive instead of feeling obligated to do so. He found he lived longer the happier they were.

But the question still remained why he was the one chasing after her, and not the other way around like he was used to. He woke because she was there, but that's where her involvement ended. Everything that needed to be done he's been the one to initiate. And that was what was bothering him.

She was refusing him, so he lied to her, used his powers over her, and took from her. Was that why his magic reached out, without his permission, and made them become crazy sex fiends? It was also the first time he's bled for one of them as well, just because he liked the way it looked against her pale skin, staining her perfect body an alluring color of dark red…

He cleared his throat as the images replayed in his mind, and forced himself to concentrate on the book in front of him. There had to be something in there that he missed, something that told him exactly why he was so taken with this one. Even Mavis couldn't bring these feelings to light, and she was his favorite by far. They shared a likeness with each other that he didn't have with anyone else; she kept him alive for four hundred years, but, in the end, she had lost control of her powers and was unable to keep a little from leaking into the woman she had killed. The happiness she felt in that moment was, ultimately her undoing.

He had enough pity for her to at least bring her lifeless body back to the people she loved, and what they did with her after was no concern of his. After that he only had a short time to settle his affairs before he too fell into a slumber. He was able to locate Mavis's family and put a watch on them, hoping to protect them until he felt ready to rise again.

There were so many questions he held just with that bit of information that caused his head to buzz with irritation - or lack of life force, he wasn't quite sure. First of all, what happened to their protection? He trusted the vampire to watch over them, and yet Lucy's entire family was wiped out. According to the records she was also believed to be dead, until he rose again and kidnapped her. That alone angered him beyond anything he felt since his beginning. Because she was so young, she wasn't able to learn about the duty that was bestowed upon her family, so naturally she'd refuse to help him right off the bat. However, he could only survive off her blood alone for so long, and the way they were currently going didn't guarantee she would help him. He needed to do something to gain her trust, but he wasn't used to bending to the will of anyone and he didn't know how.

And that brought him back to the issue of why he he was so...obsessed with her. His headache was slowly growing until all he could hear was the pumping of his blood in his ears. He placed his hands over his ears and pressed, hoping the pressure he was putting on his head would lessen the pain. It didn't, and soon his body was tensing, his muscles tightening painfully. He could feel his blood coursing through his body, burning like he was filled with burning hot lava. His mouth was drying up fast, and he could feel his fangs aching like they were being pulled from his gums. Soon it was all he could do to not scream in pain.

His body was dying, he knew that much, but that was the last coherent thought he had before his mind filled with a hazy fog. Distantly, he could hear someone calling for him, hands grabbing his shoulders, but he couldn't be sure if it was real or something his muddled mind conjured. There was one thing he was sure of: he had to get Lucy to accept him soon, or they _both_ would die.

And if being nice to her wasn't working, he'd have to resort to other methods.

* * *

 **AN: So, there's that. If you made it this far, thanks for reading! If not, I don't blame you n_n;;**

 **As usual, thanks for the faves/follows/reviews. Things are starting to be revealed now, so hopefully some confusions are easing. If you're still confused, don't hesitate to ask. I'll answer if it's not revealing anything important. I'll see everyone next chapter, and I promise the wait won't be as long.**


	7. Chapter 6

~.~ Chapter 6 ~.~

Lucy groaned and shivered as a cool breeze brushed against her body. She lazily reached out to find her blanket, but she couldn't find it, which was odd.

Almost immediately images from the previous night started flashing in her mind, and she gasped, bolting upright, instantly inspecting her body. She was still naked - she didn't even remember when he took the dress off her in the first place - and she was covered in dried blood. _What did you do?_ she started asking herself. Fear replaced confusion, and she scrambled off the bed. _What did you let him do?_

She fell to the floor in her attempt to get away from the blood soaked sheets. How did they get like that? She was sure they didn't bleed that much. Could it have been left over from the IV? She didn't know, and, frankly, that was the last thing she wanted to worry about.

At this point in time, all she wanted to do was get the blood off her. Her legs were shaky when she tried to stand, and she doubted she'd be able to make it to the bath without falling over. In her haste, she didn't see whether or not she was alone, but considering she hadn't been interrupted in her journey to the tub, she was hoping she was.

She pulled herself over the white, porcelain barrier, tumbling gracelessly into the tub, and immediately turned the water on. She didn't bother with the temperature, just turning each knob as far as they would go. Looking around, she didn't see a washcloth or anything, so she used her fingers, scratching away at the dried blood.

He didn't bite her, did he? She was still human. She had to be. She would happily kill herself if he had turned her without her consent, or her knowledge. Tears streamed down her face as she desperately tried to get the blood out from her fingernails, her hands shaking too much for her to notice if she was actually doing any cleansing.

Random bits continued to flash in her mind, and she started furiously shaking her head when she recalled seeing _him_ above her, his face glistening in the dim light from the offending liquid she tried to scrape off her body now. She let out a choking sob when she couldn't get that last little bit from under her nails, and she wrapped her arms around her body.

Natsu...what would he think of her if he ever found out? She couldn't exactly deny that she tried her hardest to fight him off - well, she didn't really try at all the moment _he_ started using magic on her. Would Natsu be able to forgive her if he knew she was coerced? He knew her better than anyone, and he would be able to look past the deed itself.

She buried her face in her knees as she pulled them to her chest. The only thing keeping her from grabbing a dagger and ending her life now was the thought of Natsu, and, whether he forgave her or not, she would fight to get back to him. She had to.

Cold fingers gently touched her shoulder, and she jumped, whirling around to come face to face with the offender himself. He looked absolutely concerned, his eyebrows were furrowed as his eyes inspected her body. She glared at him, making sure to send all violent intentions towards him the moment his eyes locked onto hers. He didn't seem to register the threats, however, since his face remained almost emotionless save his eyebrows. He stood up and walked to a cupboard, grabbing a little, fluffy, pink rag, and made his way back to her.

She noticed he was dressed, wearing almost the same outfit as the night before, except he wore a gray vest over the dress shirt. His body was flawless, not a single scratch on his arm, nor any indication of their night on him at all, and she hated him for it. Granted, she hated him before, but she could barely contain it at that moment.

He was absolutely silent as adjusted the water so it was warmer, soaked the rag, and went to work on her back. She didn't even know what her back looked like, but, considering she woke up on the bloodied sheets, she suspected her back looked almost as bad as her front.

Another scene flashed into her mind, causing her jump away from him and cry out. He had been behind her, in this memory, his mouth trailing down her back as he painted her with more bloodied kisses. How many times had they done it?

When he reached out touch her again, she splashed him. He blinked at her, showing the first real emotion since he started washing her, his face a look of shock. She didn't have anything to hurt him with, and, maybe, way back in her mind, she hoped he would start screaming and melting if she got him wet. Unfortunately, instead of crying, "Oh! What a world!" he just sat there, staring at her.

He sighed, and wiped his face with his sleeve. Shaking his head, she hoped he would take the hint and leave her be, but she wasn't that lucky. He roughly grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him, paying no mind to how hard he made her hit the edge of the tub. She cried out as her back hit the edge - she knew, no doubt, she'd have a large bruise there in no time - and her legs splayed out in front her of, her arms hung limply at her sides, and all she could do was watch as the water pinked while he continued to wash her. He brought the washcloth over her shoulders, down her chest, and in between her breasts before coming back up, careful not to touch any sensitive areas, not wanting her shy away from him again.

She looked down at her body, watching him wash her, her eyes locking onto the bite on her breast, and she felt another wave of anger crash over her, but she could do nothing. He waited until her front was completely clean before gently leaning her up so he could continue with her back.

"I think it's safe for us to agree never to do that again," his voice drifting through the bathroom, barely audible over the rushing water from the faucet. She glanced sideways for just a moment, not able to see him without completely turning her head, before going back to watching the water again.

She remained silent, but she realized he was waiting for her to say something in response, but her mind couldn't really grasp on anything except for one thing…

"Did you turn me?" Her voice cracked as she tried to talk.

She clenched her jaw as he placed his hand under her chin and pulled her back, making her look at him.

"Can't you feel it? You are still human, my love."

She pushed against him, momentarily surprised he let her go so easily, and she whipped around to face him.

"Stop calling me that!" she demanded. She tried to sound fierce, but he didn't buy it one bit. "I'm not your love, darling, or angel. I'm your enemy, and if you aren't going to kill me, then let me go." She hated his endearments towards her - she hated anyone calling her anything but her name - Natsu was the only being alive who had deserved that right, and hearing Zeref call her these names just made her miss her best friend all the more.

He licked his lips, and his expression hardened into a scowl. "I thought I already informed you of my inability to kill you," he answered. She opened her mouth to retort, but he forcefully grabbed her chin, stopping her from doing so. "There are so many things I wish I could do to you, Ms. Heartfilia," he growled. Her eyes widened slightly as he said her name, unable to recall ever telling him her last name; in fact, not many knew her last name. "Yes, it seems our history goes much deeper than just Hunter and vampire, _my dear_."

"What do you mean?"

He reached behind her and shut off the water, satisfied that she was clean enough. He leaned back and regarded her, wondering just how much he should tell her.

"You have a curious and rare gift. You have an immunity to all vampiric powers. Hereditary, I assume?"

She shook her head. "I'm not immune to it all. You've been using your powers against me from the moment I met you. And, no, it isn't hereditary; I worked my ass off trying to master it."

"That's another curious thing, because I have not used any power on you."

"Bullshit," she spat. She jerked her chin out of his grasp and scooted away, putting as much distance she possibly could in just a small amount of space. She grabbed onto the faucet to help keep her steady, since her shaking was coming back.

"I already told you there's a stronger force at work here, and I explained to you a few examples of this force. We're drawn to each other, we can't kill each other, and I'm the only one able to drink your blood. I have not used any power against you - "

"Then how do you explain forcing me to do your will with the water?" She was a little proud of herself, having completely forgotten about that until just that moment. "I didn't want to drink it, but the moment you ordered me to, I did."

"That was not me, that was this bond we have with one another."

"How do you even know all this? What does this really have to do with anything?"

"Your family, my love, has a long history of being Hunters. Apparently, it's rumored that your ancestor is the first, or one of the firsts." He glanced away for only a second as he said this.

Lucy shook her head. She knew her family had issues with the vampires a long time ago, but they were hardly as involved as he was saying. Her parents paid a lot of money to ensure their safety from vampires - there are communities out there that, for the right price, humans are completely cut off from the rest of the world. Her father was such a coward when it came to facing any sort of danger, that he tried to stay as far away from it as possible.

Well, a lot of good it did them. A rogue vampire ended up sneaking into their community, killing half the citizens. She was lucky to survive. The vampire had her family cornered, and he was going to take care of them, one-by-one, leaving her last. When he was about to strike at her, she was saved by a tall, blonde teen with a lightning mark over his right eye, who ended up taking her to Fairy Tail - he actually ended up being her mentor, a big brother of sorts, but she hadn't seen him in almost five years due to events that involved him that she didn't want to remember at the moment; one miserable life-altering event at a time, and the vampire in front of her had to be dealt with first.

Her involvement with this vampire is purely coincidental, and has nothing to do with any sort of conspiracy dating all the way back to her ancestor.

They sat together in silence, her thoughts having drifted back to her parents putting her in a somber mood. Normally, she wouldn't let the enemy see her so vulnerable, but, for some reason, she didn't care.

She felt a cool hand against her cheek, and her vision cleared so she was looking into the dark eyes of the vampire before her. He brushed his thumb over her cheek, removing a tear that escaped. She wanted to pull away, but the longer they stared at each other, the more she realized that she didn't want to be apart from him. That annoying little voice in the back of her mind perked up again, telling her how much she needed him, how much he needed her, for the sake of both their races.

She blinked at that thought, wondering what that little voice was really trying to tell her, but it quieted as soon as he placed his lips against hers. She didn't pull away, in fact she wrapped her cold, wet arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He had climbed into the tub to allow himself better access. He leaned back against the edge, and she followed, immediately straddling his lap to make them more comfortable in the small space.

He was soft with her, the complete opposite of how he was the previous night, and her heart warmed her body at the realization. He rubbed his hands along her arms, willing her goosebumps to settle. He pulled back and smiled softly at her.

"What has you looking so sad, Angel?" he asked in a mere whisper. She sniffed, closed her eyes, and put her head down, unsure whether or not telling him was a good idea. It wasn't about keeping her family a secret for her own sanity anymore. Telling him felt like it would make this more personal, and she was afraid of getting too close to him.

Well, considering she's already slept with him at least once - that she remembers - getting too close isn't exactly the problem anymore, is it?

"My mother," she whispered, looking up at him. She tried to ignore how hard her heart was pumping as he placed his palm against her cheek again, resuming brushing the stray tears that fell. He sat and watched her, listening quietly. "My parents died when I was little. Murdered by a rogue vampire who broke the law and snuck into our community. He made me watch as he tore my mother's throat out, blood everywhere...I dream about her...every night...I can't get her face out of my head...she was so scared, but she still protected me, begging to spare my life and he could have hers-"

He cut her off by kissing her again, and she let him. It saved her the trouble of verbally recalling that night, though she was seeing the scene all over again, regardless. He brought his hands down to gently caress her breasts, almost immediately causing her to become wet. It was odd, before, it was never so easy for her to get aroused, and yet the damn vampire king barely had to touch her and she was crazy for him.

She pulled back to get some air, and his mouth latched onto her breast, his tongue circling the already hardened nipple. He moved only slightly, putting his mouth onto her bite mark that had yet to heal. The moment he did so, it sent an electric current straight to her libido, and she gasped, holding his head against her. She only briefly remembered how angry she was just minutes ago for having done this with him, and yet she was practically letting him do it all over again.

He dipped a hand between their bodies and started rubbing her clit. The feeling of his combined touches almost had her coming before she could even think, but he moved his mouth from the bite mark, effectively ending the added sensation, and smirked at her.

"I thought we agreed not to be doing this?" he asked her, his eyes glittering playfully.

She looked down at him, almost forgetting why she would agree to something so ridiculous. Oh yeah, he's a vampire.

"We really shouldn't," she weakly supplied.

"At least we know we can't kill each other in the process…" He started kissing her neck.

"Maybe you can't kill me...but will you turn me?"

He looked up at her, the look of honest fear in her eyes over the thought.

"Never," he answered, placing his hand on her chest. Her heart pounded harder with the added weight of his hand. "The moment this stops beating is the moment the world loses its light."

She brought her eyebrows together at his strange words, but he was done talking. She let him continue, but with the promise to ask him about it when they were done. She just hoped she actually remembered all of it this time.


	8. Chapter 7

~.~ Chapter 7 ~.~

Natsu sighed, his face skyward. He was almost out of ideas, and this was his last resort before he went and broke every law ever laid down for Hunters, especially the ones that say he couldn't bust down the doors to all hives, guns blazing. He had enough of sitting and waiting, since it obviously wasn't working. He'd gone behind his Master's back by trying to get information out of every vampire he saw, but that was proving more useless and infuriating than just sitting there. Every time he talked to one of them, it was either, "I know nothing!" and "The King will get his revenge."

Scoffing, he sat back on the bench, his eyes roving the park grounds for any movement. It was about three in the morning, so, clearly, the only beings who would be in the park were him, and, possibly, the offending kidnapper returning to the scene of the crime. It was a long shot, but he had to try. If he didn't get any leads tonight, he was going to start taking it to their hideouts, and he wouldn't stop until he either found Lucy, or the vampires killed him, the former prefered.

The guild was worried about him, he knew that, but he didn't care. He wasn't the one they should be worried about anyway. In his opinion, every single one of them should be out here, trying to find Lucy if they were truthful about their concern.

Sighing, he rubbed his hands through his hair. That wasn't true, and he felt bad for thinking that about the guild. They cared about Lucy just as much as he did, and he really didn't blame any of them for acting they way they are. There were search parties, other guilds had been notified about her disappearance...the Hunter community was doing their best, as far as they were _legally_ allowed to go. He just put more effort into it because, well, it was _Lucy_. He knew just about everything about her, things she didn't want anyone else to know, and he knew she had to be scared out of her mind, if she was still alive.

Experiencing childhood trauma wasn't an uncommon thing in their line of work - almost everyone has some sort of vendetta they're either trying to fulfill, or have fulfilled it but they just don't have anything else to do - but Lucy was one of those who tried to bury her pain, hide it so she wasn't constantly reminded of the horror she felt when she was a child, refusing to be seen as weak. She held that memory down, but every once in awhile that memory popped up, and she'd be lost to it. Thankfully, it hadn't happened when she was out on the job, but those few times he was there to see her thrust into a panic attack, her mind transferring back in time and she witnessed the scene as if she were physically there. Despite his words of encouragement, advice to see someone about this problem, she still pushed it away, letting it build up again until it escaped.

If that happened while she was away, would anyone know how to help her? Would they care? All he had to do was imagine her alone, crying because she was reliving her past, and he would get angry all over again.

Like now, for instance. He sat there, staring out at the park that would normally bring her peace, but he just felt hatred; hatred for the vampire who took her, hatred for him not being able to protect her...he wasn't easily stirred up this way. He was a happy guy, never really having a reason to be otherwise. He had an amazing job, a guild that was like family to him, and a partner who he would do anything for. Take any of those things away from him, and it was like a part of his soul was torn away. How would he be able to go on with the knowledge that his soul wasn't whole?

So he held onto the things he considered were most important to him, and since one of them _was_ taken away, it was his duty to get it back. But not sitting here, on her bench...he wasn't getting anything done.

He groaned and pushed himself up, planning on going back to the guild to see if they'd heard anything, but a dark figure suddenly appearing a few yards away stopped him. Instinctively, he produced a dagger from his belt, throwing it at the figure. He had no doubt it was inhuman, considering it pretty much snuck up on him - his senses were higher than the rest, and he would have been able to hear the clumsy walk of a human, no matter how hard they tried at stealth. No, this was a vampire, and by the way it easily dodged his attack, it was no ordinary vampire.

He was also able to see the fast movements vampires made, and he grabbed two more small daggers, trying to stop the creature as it tried to advance on him. One of the daggers hit its mark, but the vampire didn't falter. Falling to his knees, Natsu threw one more dagger, and pulled out his pistol, modified for faster shooting, and equipped with a silencer so he didn't alert any passersby.

He managed to get a few hits in, but the creature still advanced on him. It all happened within seconds, and, before he knew it, the creature had grabbed his neck, pulling him up from his crouch, and holding him just above eye level.

Natsu immediately noticed a few things about this one: first, it was warm, much warmer than a normal vampire - meaning it either just fed, or there was something abnormal about it - second, its eyes. He had been the object of many a vampire's hate and anger, but this one held more as it glared up at him.

Lastly, though Natsu knew he hit his target multiple times, the creature seemed unharmed.

Its eyes glowed slightly, but Natsu shared Lucy's gift of being immune to vampire powers - being the one who trained her in the first place - so when he wrapped his legs around the creature's waist, it widened its eyes slightly, clearly shocked that its powers had no effect. Natsu tried to use his own strength to pull the creature down by bucking backward, but, despite the small window of shock he had, the creature didn't go down. Instead, it grabbed his shoulders and threw him on the ground, falling on top of him, pushing him down.

Natsu grunted as his back impacted on the dirt, and he was sure that, if nothing was broken, he'd be really sore in the morning.

"Why do you fight me?" it asked suddenly, and the mere innocence of the question made Natsu burst in laughter.

"Are you fuckin' kidding me?" he said, knowing the wouldn't get out of this easily. He let the vampire hold him down so he could regain his bearings. "You must be new in town, huh?"

"You could say that." The vampire leaned up slightly, but didn't let its guard down; Natsu was still pressed against the ground, and he didn't think he could get out of this easily. "Then again, you could say I'm new to the world as it is today."

Natsu raised an eyebrow at this, the creature making no sense at all.

"However, you did not answer my question, human. Why do you fight me?"

"Because you're a vampire?" He said this as a sarcastic question, because why else would someone randomly attack a vampire?

"But I did not provoke you, at least I think I didn't…" It trailed off and looked to the side momentarily, seeming to recall the events that just happened not two minutes prior. "Isn't that how it works now?"

"Yeah, well things have changed, if you haven't noticed. I get that you're new and all, but I'm pretty sure you would have realized that the Hunters aren't wasting any precautions. Unless you know what happened to our missing member, then I suggest you back off and leave before I do succeed in killing you."

The vampire slowly looked back down at him as he spoke, a look of pure curiosity on its features.

"Are you the reason the vampires are so afraid to leave their hives?" it asked.

"I sure as hell hope so."

Almost in a flash, the vampire's eyes flashed a dangerous red glow, and it grabbed a dagger from its body, turning it on Natsu. He barely had enough time to react before the blade was brought down on him, and he closed his eyes, the only word running through his mind being, " _Shit!"_

"Master! Don't hurt him!"

Natsu felt the cool of the blade against his neck, along with a little tickle of something running down his skin. Whether it was his own blood or not, he didn't know; what he did know was the thing's face was mere inches apart from his own, pure malice having replaced the curiosity. Without thinking - and, probably really relieved that he was still alive - he smirked at the creature above him.

The creature huffed in annoyance at being disrupted, and pushed off the man on the ground. Natsu brought his hand to his neck to inspect any damage, but was relieved to feel that his skin was still intact. The creature stood at his feet, glaring down at him, and Natsu tried to calculate his success rate if he were to go for another of his weapons. Then again, he hit the damn thing with a holy-water-tipped dagger, and a few silver bullets, but it was still standing strong - so, how successful would Natsu really be, even if he were to hit his target?

A young female appeared next to the first creature, and Natsu's mind quickly went to work. He recognized the newcomer - her chin length leafy green hair, oddly visible in the night, but that's how it always was, and a hair band with a pair of crosses sticking out were dead giveaways - and he knew he wouldn't be able to take them both out. Better to be smart about this and walk away alive, than try his luck and end up dead.

"Brandy, what a surprise to see you here," Natsu drawled from the ground.

The female narrowed her eyes at him, and placed her hands on her hips. "Salamander, I figured you would be more appreciative that I just saved your life."

Smirking, he mentally questioned that statement, but he shrugged and sat up. "You know I don't do that."

The sudden appearance of Brandish made sense to him now - the reason why the first vampire didn't die. She had the ability to, temporarily, alter mass, creating many frustrating close calls for him. She could make a dagger so small, the magic applied wouldn't affect even a newly made vampire. She probably shrunk the dagger and bullets so it hardly caused the vampire any damage.

The vampire whirled towards her, grabbing her neck this time, but she seemed unafraid.

"Why did you stop me, Brandish?" it growled.

"Master, there are laws we need to uphold." She glanced down at Natsu as she said this. "I'm sure you were told how different things are now." The vampire let her go, and she motioned toward Natsu with a flick of her wrist, acting like he wasn't really worth their time. "This is Salamander, one of the top Hunters of the guild Fairy Tail." She grabbed her Master's cheeks and made him focus on her. "The guild who recently lost their blonde devil mysteriously. This is her partner."

"Lucy," Natsu supplied, pushing himself up so he could stand. He didn't miss the way the vampire glanced at him, narrowing its eyes, but he chose to ignore it. "You assholes stole her, you may as well call her by her name. It isn't like you don't know it."

The vampire regarded him thoughtfully, which just seemed to piss Natsu off again.

Crossing his arms, Natsu looked away. "Are you done with me? I have shit I need to do." Not really, but he'd rather go and _find_ something to do than stand there in the presence of these creatures.

"Salamander, I want to formally introduce you to our Master." She placed her hand on the vampire's arm, and Natsu raised an eyebrow. He didn't care who this was, a vampire was a vampire, and still an ugly brown shit stain on this green earth. The vampire stepped forward, out of Brandy's hold, and inclined its head slightly in greeting.

"Salamander, it's a pleasure to formally meet you at last."

Natsu grunted in response, and his intentions were clear to the creature before him.

"Allow me to offer my condolences. I know how hard it is to lose someone close and important to your heart."

"What the hell do you know, _vampire_? Taking people who are important is all you blood-suckers do."

"Salamander…"

"Stay out of this, Brandy." Natsu glanced at the woman for only a moment, and when he looked back at the creature before him, he saw the serene expression had quickly turned into one of fury, and he was taken aback only for a moment. He wasn't a stranger of being on the end of that expression, it was just shocking how fast it happened.

"Despite what you think of my kind, _Salamander_ , I assure you that is not our purpose. I apologize what happened, and I assure you it was a single offense, one not likely to be repeated. I will make sure to keep an eye out for your missing partner, and make sure to properly reprimand the offender."

Natsu nodded, clearly not falling for whatever supposed 'sincerity' this creature was trying prove.

"Okay, sure."

Brandish stepped in front her Master, jabbing a perfectly manicured fingernail in Natsu's chest, careful not to break through his clothes.

"Listen, Salamander, our king is giving you his condolences, instead of killing you on the spot. You better be grateful, you...you...you ungrateful - "

"Brandish, it's okay." The master placed a hand on her shoulder, effectively cutting her off. She blushed and let him pull her back. "Again, my apologies, Salamander. You have our promise. I bid you farewell."

Natsu nodded slightly, and made his way back to the bench, not giving them the satisfaction of one last glance.

 _King….?_ She wasn't serious, was she? No way. Brandy was known for making things seem more important than they actually were.

Ever since he started looking for Lucy, vampires all over had been hinting about a king, but they were just trying to instill fear into the Hunters. Their king was _dead_...he wasn't coming back.

~.~

Zeref stood there, watching as the Salamander went back to the bench. He was a little surprised to see anyone on that bench. He had originally just been walking by when Brandish pointed the Salamander out, and he was curious about the human. At first he wanted to know why he was on his Angel's bench - aptly named since that was where he and Lucy first met - but the moment the man started attacking him, his defenses picked up and he was going to end this miserable human's life.

Until Brandish stopped him. And then she told him exactly who's partner this human was, and a wave of jealousy hit him, and he, again, wanted to end this human's life.

So, he's the one Lucy has been calling for in her sleep. This Salamander was the one she wanted to go back to.

"You didn't tell him we had her," the woman observed, quietly.

"There's no point. I have no intention of letting her go." With that, he turned to continue on his journey, leaving Brandish standing there.

Brandy and Salamander have had a few run ins with each other over the years, and she's felt they developed a sort of bond. It wasn't anything friendly, but more like they respected each other.

However, now, as she watched him sulk away, she almost felt bad for him. Almost, not quite. She wanted to tell him that his partner was alive and well, for the most part, just so he could stop going on killing sprees. He's lucky the vampires hadn't reported him, due to their overconfidence about having the king resurrected.

But, so far, the king hasn't done anything to help their cause. Instead he'd rather hide away with his new toy. If only he'd listened to everyone in the beginning who told him that this was a bad idea, they're retribution would be well underway by now. However, due to extreme fear for their lives, no one has spoken up about it, but she knew their kind was growing restless.

Clenching her fists, she turned to catch up with her king, in hopes that his outing tonight would open his eyes and anger him enough to finally do something. It was no coincidence that the old hive she was bringing him to was wiped out by his toy and Salamander, just a few years prior. Apparently, one of the rogue vampires had been hiding there, and the fools wouldn't give him up, so the Hunters destroyed them all, effectively killing their rogue, and all the innocents within.

It was a short walk to their destination - a dingy looking building that had long since been abandoned - and Zeref raised an eyebrow to his escort.

"What is this?" he asked.

"You've been so curious about the Hunters, my king, I figured I'd give you a personal look at what they've reduced us to." She opened the steel door with ease, though it would have caused problems for anyone else. The moment her hand touched the handle, she shrunk the door only a little, allowing for easy access. When they walked in, and she closed the door, she allowed it to grow back its usual size.

The room was dark, dusty, and smelled of old fire. There was a bar on one side of the room, a stage on the other, and an empty space where many tables and booths used to occupy in between. It used to be popular club, a safe-house for vampires to come and indulge themselves in the pleasures of volunteers and their own kind. Looking around, Brandy could almost hear the music, the laughter, and cries of pleasure that filled the air. Some volunteers even brought their tobacco and other drugs of choice, filling everyone's senses with substances that clouded their minds and made their bodies feel lighter than air.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Zeref said after a quick inspection. He glanced down at the woman, who was looking about with an expression of longing.

This was hers, and they came in and destroyed it. She built this place from nothing, and it ended up being the hottest vampire club in town.

"They were having fun," she said. "No one was hurting anyone who didn't want to be hurt. The Hunters came, demanded for the release of a criminal, and, when they were denied their criminal, they were within their laws to destroy everything until they _got_ their criminal. There were two hundred souls in here that night, vampire and human alike, and they didn't care."

"The Hunters did this?" He remembered the human boy he met in the park, and, once again, wished he had killed him when he had the chance.

"They were enjoying each other's company, just like you wished. Yes, for the most part, our two species can coexist peacefully...but these Hunters kill mercilessly, looking for a reason to destroy us. They came for one vampire, and killed two hundred." She looked up at her king, satisfied with the look of rage and terror he wore on his usually stoic face. " _She_ did this: the blonde devil."

Zeref whipped his head to look at her. He knew what Lucy was, what she was capable of...He'd read reports on her, she's told him her past...He knew she hated the vampires...So why did he not want to believe Brandish right then? His angel couldn't be responsible for the senseless killing of so many vampires and humans.

Why was he so surprised? She tried to kill _him_ without a second thought.

"There's more like this," Brandy continued, stepping further into her club, leaving the baffled king behind. She stopped at the bar and leaned on her elbows on the counter. "She holds the record for most vampires killed, Salamander second. It's not something we like to keep track of, but the Hunters do. They hold numbers over their heads like it's a game." She turned around and faced him. "We brought you here to help us, my king. This is why we need you. If Salamander and that blonde devil continue to walk freely, they'll wipe us out."

"So you brought me here to start killing them?" He tried to ignore how she kept calling Lucy a devil. He knew that's what she went by - it actually wasn't the first time he'd heard it - but she wasn't a devil, not in his eyes.

"We brought you here to bring our kind justice. The Hunters have been abusing their power, and we have been powerless to do anything about it. But you…" She advanced on him, stopping just an arm's length away. "You have the power and authority to keep us protected. If a few Hunters lose their lives along the way, then that's just payback for the millions of vampires they killed."

Did she feel bad for throwing Salamander under the bus? No, not really. He may have been one of the few humans she tolerated, but his crimes against her people were too great for her to continue saving his life. Besides, he was a Hunter, after all. He lived on the edge anyway, and the only reason why he was alive now was because he thought he was too good to be killed.

"Brandish…You knew Salamander did this, and yet you stopped me from killing him. Why?"

She smiled, something she hardly ever did, and it was a terrible sight. "Because I wanted you to see for yourself why he deserves to die. If you had killed him before this, it wouldn't have been satisfying. I want to see him, that blonde devil, and Hunters all over the world suffer."

"You may just get your wish."

* * *

AN: Thanks for the support so far. Just found out that this story has been added to a community. I mean, how cool is that? Not only is this part of a community...but there's actually a ZerLu community! I don't know how I wasn't aware of it, but I am now, and I'm ecstatic. Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter...I've got stories to check out.


	9. Chapter 8

~.~Chapter 8~.~

He watched her sleep. For days, now, he had been begged by his vampires to end her life, but he refused. His people thought he was being a fool, and that he was just lovesick, giving into his lust after having done nothing in nearly a hundred years. Well, that was only partially true, but what he did with Lucy ran far deeper than just using her to sate his needs.

He was different than his people, and that was a secret he was taking to his grave. Why was he king? Why was he the only one to survive his eternal slumber, while the rest wasted away into dust, their souls too tired to carry on? He knew the answers to these questions, but they weren't important information anyone else needed to know. After all, every vampire alive now, he would surpass. Every vampire entered an eternal sleep at some point, so there was really no point in letting anyone know that they would never wake.

She groaned and shifted, the blanket falling down to her waist. She _seemed_ happy with him, though he knew she wasn't. She had been confined to this room for almost a full week now, but letting her leave was too dangerous. He couldn't kill her, but someone else could, and he didn't want to take that chance. He thought about letting her explore the mansion during the day while no one was awake, and since he could also walk around during the day, he'd protect her from servants, those bound to their masters who have probably willed them to kill her the first moment they got.

He couldn't let her die, not yet at least. Then again, when the time came for her life to run its usefulness to him, would he want to let her go? He's had to go through these strong feelings twice before , and it was never easy, but he hadn't had this strong of a bond with the others. Had it been one of the others that Brandish told him slaughtered his people mercilessly, he wouldn't have second thoughts about killing them...but her, he just couldn't do it. He stopped trying long ago, okay with the fact that he physically could not harm her, and that he wouldn't allow anyone else near her enough to try themselves.

He walked across the room and sat on the bed, her body slightly rolling into him as his weight dipped the mattress. He brushed his fingers over her forehead, moving her bangs away from her face. Her nose cringed and she sleepily swatted at him, but he continued, quietly laughing at her attempts to get him away from her.

She was still wary of him - that would probably never go away, considering her upbringing - but she tolerated him, and that was almost good enough for now. In the beginning, he could have cared less whether she ever grew to tolerate him.

He leaned down to brush his lips against her forehead when she started to wake. She groaned and tried to pull away, wanting to hide herself under the blankets, but he didn't let her.

"Wake, my darling," he whispered.

"Uh-uh!" she refused, pushing him off her, turning her back to him. He didn't blame her for not wanting to get up, seeing as how she's only had a few hours of sleep, but seeing her pout like a child was too entertaining.

"Yes." He easily pulled the blanket over her head. "We have something to discuss."

She opened an eye and glared at him. "Unless you're letting me go, then I have nothing I want to talk to you about."

"If I were to let you go, what would you do?"

Her eyes snapped open, and she moved to push herself up, but he quickly covered her body with his own, trapping her. She tried to fight him, but it was like fighting against a cement block. He leaned down and placed his mouth against her ear.

"Go back to your guild?" he growled. "Back to your Salamander?" She froze, her heart pounding, and they were both amazed it didn't jump out of her chest. "Maybe you and he would seek out revenge...find another vampire hive and obliterate it...killing millions of innocents who have nothing to do with you being held here…"

"What are you talking about?" she demanded. He smirked, proud that, despite the threatening position he held her in, she could still hold her ground.

"Are you really that concerned with your record that you have to start killing innocents to stay number one?"

"I don't have to stoop so low," she growled. "There are enough criminals that I don't need to."

"Is that so?" He pulled the blankets off her and spun her around, none too gently, so they could glower at each other face to face. "Brandish told me what you did to her club."

Recognition flashed through her eyes, but, instead of defending herself like he thought she would, she smirked.

"I guess you're finally starting to understand the truth," she said. "I don't regret anything I've done." His grip on her arms tightened, he could almost feel her bones cracking from the pressure, but she didn't give him any sign that it hurt. "Are you going to let me die, now?"

"Why do you want to die so much?" he asked her. "Don't you like your life? Don't you love your friends, family, your job?"

"When we get initiated, we've already accepted the fact that, one day, we will die. We just make sure to take enough of you bastards with us before that happens."

He wanted to say that her words hurt him, but they didn't...not really.

"So, to answer your earlier question," she continued, "yes, I would go back to my guild...back to Salamander...And the two of us _will_ seek out revenge, killing as many vampires and servants as we can possibly find until someone either kills us, or your race becomes extinct."

He took a moment to consider her words. He tried to be angry that she threatened his vampires, but he couldn't...He was still stuck on the fact that she'd go right back to _him…_.

"What would the point be?" He leaned down so their noses touched. "You can't kill me, and I have the power to create more vampires."

"Then we'll keep going until we find a way to kill you, too."

He shook his head and moved off her, making his way across the room. "I still don't understand…" He spoke it so quietly, he didn't think she heard him, but her hearing must be just as good as a vampire's, for she answered him.

"I already told you: It's how it's always been."

He turned back to her, his eyes roaming her fully naked body. She had leaned up on her elbows, not bothered by the welts he put in her arms just a few moments ago. He swallowed, pushing down his growing desire for her, and forced his eyes to lock onto hers.

"That's a lie," he ground out. Whether he was angry with her words, or with himself for falling for his desire, he was unsure, but it made him sound threatening, and that's all he wanted. "I was promised peace, but all I see now is my people being ruthlessly hunted and killed for your pleasures."

"Who told you that?" Her voice softened, and she pushed herself up to sit on the edge of the bed, placing her feet on the ground.

"Everyone," he answered. "It's the reason why I was awoken, to restore peace between us."

"You mean they woke you up so you could destroy the Hunters."

"It doesn't seem like such a bad idea."

She sighed and stood, grabbing the silk robe she'd been wearing. It seemed pointless to wear actual clothes, since they seemed to throw themselves on each other whenever they were together, but she refused to walk about naked forever.

He almost groaned when she covered her body, but he reminded himself that they were trying to have a serious conversation...The barrier - albeit, silky and incredibly thin - was for the best.

"You've been doing research," she pointed out. "Trying to figure out what happened in the years you've been asleep...but books written by vampires can only tell you so much."

"So you're going to tell me the human side?" he guessed. "You're going to make yourselves seem more innocent than you really are?"

"No."

He raised an eyebrow at this. If she wasn't going to defend her own race's innocence, then what was the point in arguing with him in the first place?

"Whether there's peace between us or not, there will always be someone - human or vampire - who can't accept the other, and they will turn to violence. It happens all the time." She sat back on the bed and let out a deep sigh, her head falling back so she could stare at the ceiling. "We're not perfect. Humans war with each other all the time. Money, power, religion...Honestly, it was a human who started this whole thing with the vampires."

Zeref knew this - he had read about it. In fact, it ties with what he found out about her own family, but he remained silent.

"No one knew why, but he started instilling fear into the humans. Our races had been living together peacefully until then, but he started planting this idea that, one day, the vampires would ruin our race. They were stronger, smarter...deadlier…" She looked up at him at this point. "What was to stop them from taking over?"

"My vampires would never have done that," he defended. "They were under my law - "

"But you weren't there, not for almost a hundred years when this happened."

"And neither were you."

"But I've spent my life understanding the laws and history, and why I do what I do. I didn't just pick up a pistol and start killing vampires...that's not how it happened."

He went to her, unable to keep away. He tried to maintain his authority, tried to keep his anger at her for what she did, but she was right. She wasn't just some random civilian who decided to start killing his people. She had been hurt, and she was trying to avenge her family by going the vigilante route. But weren't his people doing the same thing? Both their ideals were imperfect, and who knew if the two races would ever come to an understanding...but for now…

He stood in front of her, placed his hands on either side of her face and made her look up at him.

"I've accepted my fate," she started, before he could say anything. "Why keep me locked in this prison if you don't have any plans for me?"

He glanced around the room, but his silence scared her. "Unless...you do have plans?"

"Are you not comfortable here?" he interjected, ignoring her question.

"It's not ideal, no."

"You are kept in a lush room, you are well-fed...how is this a prison?"

She gently laid a hand on his wrist, but he didn't budge.

"Whether it's four concrete walls and steel bars, or a fully furnished bedroom...a prison is still a prison."

His mouth curved into a frown as he considered her words. He hadn't meant for this place to be a prison - more like a safe place where she couldn't get into any trouble in the midst of a mansion housing many vampires and their servants...many _high class_ vampires and their servants. Even if he gave her all her equipment back, she wouldn't last long outside this room.

"What are your plans?" she asked, placing her other hand against his cheek. He had every intention of keeping his mouth shut, but as soon as she touched him, streams of golden warmth flowed out of her fingertips and caressed his body, starting with his head and slowly moving downward. She blinked at him, feeling what she was doing just as strongly as he was, and she couldn't deny that it felt a little like what he had done to her with his dark magic.

Did that mean she had light magic?

His mouth slowly spread into a smile, and he brought their lips together. She may deny anything and everything that they had to do with each other, but this just proved he wasn't talking crazy when he told her about a bond. He had felt this before - granted, not this strong - and her nervous hesitancy left her open for more of his caresses.

Her body and soul were finally opening up to him fully, and it was only a matter of time before he could make her his.

~.~ Later That Night (day 7) ~.~

The process would be quick, but incredibly draining, especially to one who didn't know what exactly they were doing. He had many chances to tell her what he had in store, but would she have agreed to it if he had? He wasn't known to be compassionate and thoughtful, and if there was something he wanted, he would get. In this instance, he wanted her soul bound to his, and - with every knowledge that she'd regret it - he planned to fully make it his own.

It was destiny. Her heritage ran far deeper into history than she imagined...it was no coincidence that her family was attacked, and that she survived - though she believed, and was told, that the vampire spared her because he didn't have time to kill her - though allowing her to live for so long was a mistake on the vampires' part. Of course she grew to be the best vampire Hunter in this present day - her ancestors practically started it.

Zeref calmly stood guard by the bathroom door. He had told her to wash up because he wanted to show her something. He didn't give any more information than that; it's her own fault for assuming he meant he was going to take her out of that room. Granted, she wasn't wrong...he had every intention of taking her outside, after the binding process.

He wasn't fully truthful with her, when she expressed her concerns about him turning her. He wasn't going to fully turn her into a vampire, but make her his servant instead; it was, after all, her destiny. Well, maybe _destiny_ wasn't the right term for it, but duty didn't sound as romantic.

He chuckled. When had he started caring about being romantic? His life was on the line, and he worried about sounding romantic? True, he wasn't as immortal as his children thought him to be - he needed sustenance as much as any vampire, the only difference is his lifespan is determined on the servant he chooses after each awakening. The last time he was awake, he had a girl who was able to sustain him for almost four hundred years before she finally died and he had to enter his eternal sleep. She was just a child at the time, so he could only imagine how long Lucy could keep him alive for.

He was elated, to say the least, that Lucy's body had finally accept him fully. If it hadn't happened soon, he was going to start worrying either she would or wouldn't accept him soon enough, or she wasn't the one in the first place. Granted, the latter was preposterous, considering he knew the moment he felt the bond with her when he woke, but it was almost a week since he opened his eyes, and he didn't know how much longer his body could wait for her. He would have had to hurry along the process, and, since she wouldn't have been willing, their lives probably wouldn't have lasted as long.

Lifting his hand, he studied it as the faintest traces of a tremor had started. Had anyone else been looking, they might have missed it.

"Are you okay?"

He jumped. He hadn't heard her leaving the bathroom, which was cause for concern in and of itself. He was slowly deteriorating - the tremor and lack of awareness evident - and he needed her the sooner the better.

"You're shaking," she pointed out, nodding at his hand now laying still at his side. Glancing down at his hand, he went back to that thought...The only reason he knew he had a tremor was because it was his hand. It was so slight that not even an ancient vampire would see it.

This just strengthened his resolve.

Smiling, he looked back up at her. "I haven't fed today," he supplied. That wasn't true, and even if it was, lack of feeding for more than twenty-four hours didn't affect him as much as a normal vampire. He just hoped she didn't make that connection.

She nodded slightly, biting her bottom lip as she glanced away from him, her fingers fidgeting in front of her. She had worn a knee-length dress, different than what she had been wearing lately. She was dressed to leave the room; she would be leaving, just not yet.

"Do you want…"

He contained a smirk. The last piece he needed was for her to let him in voluntarily...that's all he needed.

She cleared her throat, her cheeks having quickly turned red. Whether it was from embarrassment, nervousness, or something else, he didn't know.

"I mean...do you need to go out and feed real quick?"

"I could." He sighed and stalked to her. Gently he placed his palm against her cheek, silently congratulating her for standing her ground. "But wouldn't you want to get to your surprise quicker if I just drank yours?"

She eyed him warily, leaning back slightly. "So I could spend the next however many days incarcerated again? I don't think so."

"That happened because I was originally trying to kill you, my dear. I won't take much." He smiled, but it didn't ease her caution in the slightest. He took a chance and brought his nose to her neck, rubbing it against her skin ever so lightly, and he couldn't hide his smirk any longer when she shivered at his touch. "Please? You taste like Heaven compared to any other willing human…"

Her shoulders slouched. He was weighing her down.

"It'll be quick, and then we'll both be on our merry way." He brought his hand up to grasp her hair, tilting her head slightly to bare her neck to him.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, her voice shaking only the slightest.

"It's a surprise, I told you."

She shuddered again as he moved his mouth against her skin, just waiting for the okay.

"Are you going to kill me?"

"I can't."

"Are you going to take me somewhere that will end up with me being dead?"

He licked his lips and forced an irritated growl down. They had this conversation so many times, he wasn't sure what to do to assure her that he wasn't going to let her die while he was still living. He honestly couldn't wait for the day when she'd go to him and force him to feed off her.

He smiled against her skin. Hopefully that day would come sooner rather than later.

"I promise, my love, that my gift has nothing to do with death, and you will love it." That wasn't really true - he didn't know if she'd like what he had to show her, but he hoped. The last girl absolutely loved it - it was because of her that he had it now - and he hoped Lucy shared this particular hobby.

"I know I've asked that a lot, but…" She gulped, raising shaking hands, one she placed on his shoulder, and the other gently sat on the back of his head. "This is the first time I'm actually thinking of doing this."

He audibly purred as he let her push his head against her neck. She was finally his, this little push she was giving him more than enough proof that she was allowing him to drink from her. Sure, he didn't tell her what this admission entailed, and he was probably going to get a beating for it later, but he _was_ running out of time. The only other thing he could do instead of trick her was mind control, and she was immune to his powers.

She hissed as he pressed his fangs into her skin, and she clenched him tightly in her fists as she awaited the pain that came with having the blood sucked from her body.

But it never came.

He let the blood flow from the puncture wounds, filling his mouth before he swallowed, and she could almost physically feel the sensation of her blood giving him strength; it was almost like his empowerment was also helping her. The familiar feeling of his black shadows reached out and caressed her, and it wasn't entirely unpleasant. She could almost physically see them - though she had her eyes closed - as they flew from his fingertips, and swirled up and down her body, through her body. They moved with a purpose, she realized, not like they had been when she felt them before. The way they moved in and out, almost as if they were searching for something.

And it wasn't long before they found what they were looking for.

Zeref's hands were placed on her waist, keeping her body against his, his fingers pressed tightly against her. He pulled away, panting, and she groaned at the sudden lack of contact on that spot.

"Come on…" he growled, pressing his tongue against the puncture wounds. She bit her lip as he gave her one hard lick, effectively closing it, and she found herself moving her neck back to his mouth, wanting to feel him against her again. His shadows traveled in haste as he placed his lips on his mark. "Come on, Lucy…" he whispered, his lips moving against her skin.

She gasped as the realization hit her, literally, with what he wanted. She didn't know how she knew what he wanted, and she didn't even know how to give it to him. Her body, however, did seem to know, and she found herself pushing her light magic onto his body, just like he had done with his own.

He moaned and bit her again as the feeling of their magicks intertwining, heating their bodies to an almost unbearable level. The heat was a feeling he was used to, but she wasn't, and she started panicking when she felt her body start to sweat. Her uncertainty was making her magic pull back slightly, and he tried to soothe her with his shadows. Their souls were coming together, and to have her pull away now could possibly be fatal to both parties involved. He let go of her hair and gently laid his hand on top of head, trying to calm her. Her magic seemed to accept this, and it started pushing against him again, weaving and winding its way around and through his body.

Zeref sighed, physically feeling his and her bodies relaxing to the point where he was unsure if he was able to hold them up any longer. She was no longer clutching him desperately, instead her arms were wrapped around his body like she was embracing a lover, though she'd argue all points of that statement if she were in the right state of mind. He smirked at that thought.

They found themselves smoothly falling to the floor, neither with the want to take the two seconds it would take for them to make it to the bed. Zeref sank onto his knees, pulling Lucy onto his lap, forcing her to straddle him. He pulled away from her neck and licked the wound, reclosing it, cutting off the magic flow. Lucy let her head fall back, sighing contently as her body entered a state of near euphoria. Her new counterpart watched her from the corner of his eyes as he kissed and licked the mark on her neck.

Lucy's mind was a blank slate, but pleasantly so. She let herself smile at the ceiling, unable to think of a time when she'd felt this truly happy. Granted, she had enough sense to realize that something unexpected had happened, but she couldn't find it in herself to care. In that moment, she was just happy to be with the man she held in her arms.

No, not man...a vampire…

Though that thought didn't alarm her like it normally would have. He must have done something to her…

 _Stop thinking so much...You feel amazing...So...happy…_

"What was that?" she whispered.

Zeref answered by pulling her head down to his shoulder, leaning them back against the side of the bed. He was tired, and he knew she had to be as well. It took a lot of energy to be able to mould their magic together the way they did, and he expected them to be out for at least a day or so.

"How are you feeling?" he asked instead.

She hummed in response, letting her eyes flutter closed. "Tired, but amazing. That didn't hurt like it was supposed to."

"No, I expect it wouldn't." He kissed the side of her head. "Sleep now, my angel. You must be tired."

"Mhm." In almost an instant she fell into a dreamless sleep, and he soon followed.

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 **AN: My apologies if it's weird, or if there's mistakes. I don't have the energy to proofread, so let me know if there's anything that doesn't seem right. Other than that, thanks for reading, and I'll see you guys next chapter.**


	10. Chapter 9

Natsu bit his lip. He was really sticking his neck out on this hunch he was having, but he had no other choice. If his hunch was correct, then he'd be closer to getting Lucy back; if not, well, he probably wouldn't be walking out of that building alive. He wasn't one to deny his gut feelings, but this time he was seriously thinking and rethinking his decision.

He hadn't been able to let go of the thought of the vampire king since Brandy introduced them the previous night. At first he didn't believe it, but then he wondered if that was the vampire Lucy witnessed before she disappeared...and then he made the connection between that vampire and Lucy's disappearance.

Again, though, it was just a hunch, which brought him to this quaint flower shop. He took a deep breath, ran a mental checklist of all the protection items he had on his person - if this south, then he'd at least go down fighting - and walked through the door. There was a soft clinging from the bell above the door signaling his entrance, though he doubted anyone in that store really needed a bell to be alerted to someone coming in.

The moment he walked in, hit was hit with a wall of floral scents. He was pretty sure they used extra fragrances that the flowers weren't strong enough to emit. He had a stronger sense of smell than the normal human, but he was no vampire, and the willpower of the creatures that called this place home absolutely baffled him. Even a person who loved flowers would get sick in a place like this.

After taking a quick survey of the front room - rows and rows of flowers, but nothing else - he cautiously made his way to the front counter. Just because he couldn't see anyone didn't mean that they weren't there - he was too trained in the art of hunting vampires to know that they never weren't there. He felt eyes on the moment he walked in the door, the only thing he couldn't tell was how many eyes.

There was a little bell on the counter, and, after taking a deep breath, he clinged it. Almost immediately the creature he had come to see had appeared from behind a door, her expression one of contempt, and just a little bit of curiosity.

"I didn't peg you for a flower sort of man, Salamander," Brandish purred.

"I could say the same to you, Brandy," he choked out. "How the hell can you stand to be in this place for longer than thirty seconds is beyond me."

She shrugged, the gesture holding more meaning than that she was just used to it. Vampires used places like this for more conservative means of keeping their volunteers, whereas the more young ones stayed in clubs. The more reserved, older vampires prefered flower shops, tea houses, bathhouses, any place of business that held strong smells to mask the scent of blood.

"Two encounters with you in as many days is quite the annoyance, Salamander, especially since I have done nothing wrong. To what do I owe this pleasurable visit?"

Natsu bit his lip again, trying to convince himself that this was a good idea, that he could be led closer to Lucy than any other plan he'd been able to come up with so far. Granted, if Brandy didn't cooperate, he could be attacked on the spot. He was putting more faith into his enemy than he was comfortable with, and he hoped it wasn't for naught.

"I was wondering if I could speak you privately," he grumbled. He didn't anyone listening in on what he was there to confess, but he knew there would always be someone else listening in. Sure, this vampire was one of the elite, but he was also an elite, and no one would trust anyone alone in a room with him.

"Curiouser and curiouser," she cooed, crossing her arms under her generous chest and tilting her head to the side. Her body signaled she was interested, but her face remained expressionless, almost bored.

"I'd really like to avoid a fight, Brandish. What I have to discuss with you isn't something you'd want your lackeys to know about."

She put a finger against her lips in mock thought. "If we were to tussle, it'd hardly be a fight. You're outnumbered, and you'd be dead before you even thought about grabbing that gun in your pants."

Natsu bit his cheek, knowing she was right. She leaned on her elbows on the counter, placing a fake smile on her lips. She was showing too much expression than he'd seen in all the years he's known her. Either she was on some sort of drug, or there was something else going on.

"Or are you just happy to see me?"

It took all his willpower to not glance down at the cleavage she was showing off. She replaced the bikini top she normally wore for a low cut shirt - her breasts were still threatening to fall from the article of clothing, but it was the most dressed he's ever seen her. Yep, something was wrong; he didn't know what was causing her to act the way she was, but he could almost gather that she was trying to warn him. From what, he didn't know, and he'd never admit aloud that he was a little grateful that she was thinking of him enough to warn him in her little twisted way.

He licked his lips and leaned a little closer, hiding the disgust he felt on the inside with an amused smirk.

"It's always a real treat to see you," he said. "I don't know how I can deny such a beautiful _woman_ like yourself, but I'm here on business I'm afraid."

She pouted, sticking her bottom lip out. "You're no fun, Salamander. It's always business with you."

"I'm a man dedicated to my work."

"Let me tidy up in the back and we can...talk." Without wasting another moment, she pushed off the counter and disappeared through the door she arrived from. Natsu hoped she was telling the truth, and he was still permitted to live for another few minutes. He may be safe now, but he didn't count his cards just yet.

Glancing around the room, he tried to make sense of what she was warning him against. He was already in danger by stepping foot in this building - his reputation with the vampires was less than satisfactory, and he was sure they would love to spill his blood in the most gruesome ways possible. Sighing, he turned back to the door the vampire disappeared behind, but jumped when he came face to face with another vampire.

It smiled widely - almost maniacally - at him, it's hair held back in a crazy mess with a plaid head band and a pair of glasses.

"Good evening, Salamander," it cackled, the corners of its eyes creasing in its amusement. Natsu inwardly shivered. If there was one vampire he wish he could kill with no justifiable cause, it was this one.

"Marin," he greeted.

"I heard about Ms. Lucy," the vampire hissed. "I'm very sorry that it happened. She was a pass."

Natsu wasn't quite sure what to make of that, so he settled with blinking at the deranged vampire.

"You, however, have not passed," it continued. "Unfortunately, it is against the law to do anything about it."

"As if I'd let you do anything about it," Natsu snapped.

"Such strong words coming from a brute who's under the same law as I."

"You want to bet?"

"I would _love_ to see you - "

"Marin."

The two jumped and looked at the now irate Brandy, her arms folded under her chest. The vampire cooed and was immediately by the woman's side.

"Mistress! You look lovely this evening, as usual," Marin stated.

"Marin, make yourself useful and clean the windows or something, like a good pet."

Marin looked a little hurt by her dismissal, but nodded. "Anything for you, Lady Brandish," it said, but stalked off regardless.

Natsu tilted his head slightly. The relationship between those two had always baffled him, but it really wasn't his business what they did behind closed doors...so he didn't press it. He was here for information, not to study the odd interactions between two vampires.

The woman, in question, glanced at Natsu for a moment before turning around and walking through the door, leaving it open for him to follow. Natsu quickly made his way around the counter, keeping his guard up in case she had staged an ambush just beyond that entryway. It wasn't something she would do - ambushing seemed far beneath her capabilities and personality, but he couldn't rule out the possibility, and the moment he lowered his guard was the moment he was dead.

Thankfully, there was nothing waiting for him in the backroom except an empty office, and the distinct odor of alcohol and disinfectant. There was something questionable going on in that room just moments before, but he was at least thankful that she cleaned it before allowing him back there.

He closed the door behind him as she took a seat in the high leatherback chair behind the desk.

"You can talk freely in here," she said, dropping the act from before, going back to strictly business. Natsu was more comfortable talking with this version. "This is the most secure room in all my establishments. I promise we are completely alone, so to speak."

"I wanted to ask about your king," he jumped in, not wanting to waste anymore time. Even though he was thankful they were alone in that room, that was also a curse, and he wanted to get out of that building as soon as possible.

"There's no information about him that I'd be willing to give you," she snapped.

"He took her." Natsu didn't elaborate, but he didn't need to. Just the way she arched her eyebrow told him that he was correct.

"Why the sudden accusation? My king would never kill a human without probable cause. If she tried to kill him, then it's another story, and, frankly, I wouldn't put it passed her to try."

"Biased opinions aside," he forced out, his teeth clenched as he held in his anger at her blatant dislike for Lucy. "I didn't say he _killed_ her, but took her."

"Again, why the accusation?"

"Because the night before she was taken she talking about witnessing him rising from his sleep."

Brandy's eyes narrowed with the barest of movements, but he saw it. "There were no humans in attendance," she said. "That was a sacred event, and if she had been there someone would have noticed and taken care of it immediately."

"Obviously you guys were lacking in the security department, because she was there. But now she's gone. You don't have to tell me where she is, but at least let me know if she's alive."

"Why should I?" She smirked as he glared at her. "If she was there, like you claim, then she overstepped her boundaries, interfering in vampire business, and, therefore, it is within our rights to eliminate her. Maybe she realized this and sacrificed herself for the law, for which you humans passed, by the way. How can you be so sure she isn't rotting away in the council's prison?"

"Because she would never walk off to die without telling me. You know where she is, I can tell. Is she alive?"

The woman remained quiet for a few minutes, her expressionless face giving nothing away. He just hoped she would at least give him this much. If he could at least know that Lucy was alive and well, he'd probably be able to sleep at night.

"So what if she is?" she finally said. "Are you going to press for information on her whereabouts? Are you going to attack a safe haven, killing hundreds of vampires and civilians just to see her again?"

"Is. She. Alive." It was question, but her constant avoidance of the question was grating on his nerves. "It's all I want to know."

Sighing, the vampire before him rolled her neck, glaring at the ceiling. "Yes, she's alive and well."

The tension Natsu had felt for the last few days disappeared, and he fell to the floor. He had been so stressed about the state of his best friend that the moment her life was confirmed, he became so relieved that his body crumpled, almost forgetting what it was like to function without that worry over his head. She was alive, and well. He wanted to see her now more than ever, but he was content with knowing she wasn't dead. He placed his head in his hands, breathing heavily as he tried and failed to show his wide grin on his face. Normally, he wouldn't give any vampire the satisfaction of seeing any emotion other than anger from him, but he felt Brandy at least deserved to see how happy her admission had made him.

The vampire in question raised an eyebrow as she watched him crumple to the floor. For a brief moment she was worried that he had fainted, but she could hear his heartbeat pounding, his breath coming out in quick pants and she knew he was still awake and aware. No wonder he wanted to talk privately - had any of the vampires who had been watching seen this display, they'd converge on him in less than a second, instantly ending his life.

"Oh, God...Lucy…" he muttered. He had felt so guilty that he might have caused her death, that knowing she was alive had brought tears to his eyes. He leaned forward, placing his head on the cool linoleum floor, not bothered by the smell of bleach and alcohol. In fact, he was so relieved, his body finally acknowledged the exhaustion he had been feeling, no longer letting the guilt of wanting to sleep while she possibly suffered keep him awake.

The vampire eased her way around the desk, her whole body on high alert. Salamander had grown quiet all of a sudden - though she knew he was still alive - and she wondered if he was staging a surprise attack. Now that he knew of his friend's well being, and that Brandish had been keeping information from him, she wouldn't put it passed him to force a stake through her heart as payment.

Though the moment her eyes laid on his body, she was struck with the realization that he had actually fallen asleep. The Salamander had let himself enter a state of helplessness in front of her. Did he think she wouldn't take advantage of this?

She licked her lips and leaned down next to him. All she had to do was sink her teeth into that vein and let him bleed out. She sat on her knees and brought her mouth to the throbbing beat she could visibly see. It was so easy to end his life, free her kind from the constant threat of the Salamander, one of the deadliest Hunters of his time. It would be so easy…

Sighing, she sat back on her heels. It didn't seem right, killing him while he lay there defenseless. He deserved to be killed in battle, at least with a fighting chance. She gently rested her hand on his pink hair, and let a small smile show on her lips. They may be enemies, but they respected each other. She couldn't let him die here, and she wouldn't let anyone else take advantage of this either - because she was probably the only one stupid enough not to kill him right then.

Inwardly nodding her resolve, she grabbed his arms and hoisted him onto her back.


	11. Chapter 10

**Well, I want to apologize for taking so long. What else excuses can I give but the usual? Life, computer dying...I couldn't upload from my phone...(I seriously tried! Lots of times!) Anywho, to make up, here's an extra long chapter because, I'll be honest, I'm not sure when I'll be able to post again. Hopefully this suffices until then. Thanks for not wholly giving up on me.**

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Lucy groaned as she regained consciousness. Two of the things she immediately noticed upon wakening without opening her eyes was how she was upright, and sitting on something lumpy. Her body was stiff, and she briefly wondered how long she'd been in that position. She opened her eyes to find herself on the floor. Furrowing her eyebrows, she pulled herself up and found that she had been lying on Zeref.

 _What happened last night_?

She blinked down at the sleeping vampire, surprised to see him. She had never seen him sleeping - she had actually started to wonder if he did sleep. He almost looked dead the way his features were slack, his skin so pale, and he hardly moved, even as she tried to adjust herself to sitting more comfortable on his lap. His chest barely moved, and it just seemed to validate her observation of his possible death. If he was dead, then she'd be free to leave, not to mention she'd be the one responsible for his death.

The thought was a little bittersweet.

She brought her hand up to gently touch his cheek. It was warm, and his skin twitched under touch. So he wasn't dead; one mystery solved. Now if she could just remember how she ended up on the floor straddling him she'd be almost all fine.

She sighed and placed her forehead on his shoulder. She suddenly didn't like how calm she was about waking up, straddling the vampire king who kidnapped her, but she couldn't find the anger or uneasiness in her to really care enough to throw a fit.

She turned her head to look at the sleeping vampire. What could it mean that he was still there, still asleep? She repeated her earlier observation in thinking that he looked dead; though, as she touched his cheek again, he did look more human than vampire. She realized that, even while awake, he didn't look like the usual vampire, looking more like a living human who's just an expert at hiding his emotions - the small smile that didn't reach his eyes was one that she'd learn to dislike very much, because, though that was probably the most serious expression he wore, it meant he was thinking something diabolical, and nothing good came from when he used that expression. She hadn't known him long, but that smile had graced his lips at least twice every time he was with her.

She tried to keep her guard up around him, in case he was actually planning something deadly. He was gracious enough to let her keep her weapons - mostly to protect herself from any other vampire that supposedly lived in the mansion, which she only just found out when he offered to take her out of the room.

She gasped and pushed herself off him, the memories of the previous night coming back to her. They had been getting ready _leave_ \- he said he had something to show her, but she didn't really care about that. The moment she was far enough away from this room, she had planned on, hopefully, incapacitating him and booking it to the exit. She didn't exactly know where the exit was, but it couldn't be _that_ hard to find, could it? She did, after all, grow up in a mansion, and she had been very knowledgeable in learning the structure of big homes. They all had a certain design they followed, especially older ones, and this was definitely an older style mansion.

Zeref stirred for the first time when she detached herself from him. They had been ready to walk out that door when she noticed he was shaking - albeit very minimal that she was amazed she even noticed - and, when he mentioned he was just hungry, she -

 _Oh, God_. What did she _do?_ Placing her hands on the side of her face, she held her head as she started screaming at herself. How stupid could one possibly be? Did she become his volunteer now? She didn't feel any different bodily or mentally, so she hadn't been turned or forced into servitude...But being a volunteer was just as bad.

Her hand immediately went to the spot where he bit her. If she had become a volunteer, then she'd have his mark. Any vampire marked anywhere up to twenty different volunteers, humans who pledged to subject themselves to personal blood bags, always at the beck and call of the vampire who used them as food. It was the lowest of the low for any human, but they still did it for the illusion of romance.

 _Damn those vampire novels._

She didn't feel anything unusual on her skin, but maybe his mark was more subtle...She clamored up as she hurriedly made her way to the vanity, quickly moving her hair from her neck. Her breathing came out in hurried pants, and she was absolutely terrified of finding something abnormal on her body that signified her new status. However, there was nothing on the place where he bit her, save for a red patch that just meant she was healing his bite. She was so thankful vampire bites healed so quickly; though, on the Hunter side of things, not being able to have any physical evidence that a vampire violated an innocent human was a little irritating.

Maybe he put the mark somewhere else on her body? She had _willingly_ given herself to him. There was no way he wouldn't take advantage of that. She started tearing her dress off, thinking that, maybe, he wanted to be discreet, and hide his mark so the Hunters wouldn't know that she was a volunteer. _How thoughtful of him._..but did that also mean he planned on letting her go? Of course, why would he need to keep her locked away now that he had marked her - maybe her body wouldn't be locked away anymore, but her mind would be in its own personal prison, always heeding to his beck and call.

She was so concerned with undressing herself, she didn't notice Zeref had stood and quietly made his way to her. She had been inspecting herself in the mirror, and he allowed her to quickly gaze her now mostly naked body before wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her against his chest. She gasped and tried to escape him, but his arms were locked, and there was no escaping him. He rested his warm chin on her shoulder and smiled lazily at her frazzled reflection in the mirror.

"You!" she shrieked, twisting and pulling, trying to get away from him. "What the fuck did you do to me? Where is it?!"

"Where is what, my angel?" His voice was calm, and it just pissed her off more. He sounded content, like a cat with a full belly of warm milk.

"Stop calling me that!"

He loosened his grip on her just enough for her spin around, to which he locked his hold on her once again when she was now facing him.

"Where is the mark?" she demanded. He tilted his head, raising an eyebrow in obvious confusion. "You forced me into being your volunteer!" she cried, her tone raising an octave with each word. She used this tactic whenever she was angry with Natsu - his hearing was much better than any normal human, and it was very effective to getting what she wanted out of him - but Zeref seemed almost unaffected. The only sign he gave that she was breaking through to him, was a quick furrow of the eyebrows. "You're the fucking king of vampires, you asshole, don't tell me you don't know what a volunteer is."

"I know what a volunteer is, _my_ angel," he replied, his voice never wavering from the low, calm tone he spoke in. Lucy wasn't lost on the fact that he emphasized 'my' but she let it go for now. He was probably mad that she kept refusing him the honor of using that term of endearment. "You are more important to me than just a lowly volunteer. I would never subject you to such embarrassment."

"Then what the hell did you do to me?" Her voice had gone back to normal, but it still held malice. "There's no way you didn't take advantage of me last night. You may be king, but you're still a vampire. _What did you do_?"

He smiled, that calculating small smile, and he brushed her now unkempt hair behind her ear. "I believe we were on our way out before I became succumb to hunger, my dear, that is all. Now, would you still like to leave?"

She opened her mouth to reply, but he cut her off.

"Oh, no, you must have changed your mind." He finally backed away from her, but only enough to inspect her new state of undress. "Unless you were planning on parading around in your undergarments?"

She seemed unperturbed. "I was more occupied with trying to find your mark. Call it curiosity or anger, but I couldn't wait to see if I really did become your personal play thing."

"You seem positively appalled by the idea, so I would never do such a thing."

In fact, the reality of what they had done wasn't lost on him, and he could physically feel her magic coursing through his veins, quickly bringing him to his top condition. As soon as he fully recovered, there would be little that he couldn't do, and he'd be able to help his kind the way he truly wanted to. Of course, he planned on telling her everything, but not while her mood was sour at the both of them for what they did. He was just glad she didn't call him out about the magic.

She still didn't know that she contained such heavenly magic, but he made sure she wouldn't stay ignorant for long. He also had no desire to force her to stay by his side - he felt she would be more open to staying with him if he didn't force her - so he was also risking his own life with what he wanted to show her. He just hoped she wasn't as furious with him to take the quickest way out.

He gently placed his palms against her cheeks, forcing her look into his eyes, her malicious glare falling upon him unaffected.

"I promised I wouldn't do anything of the sort, didn't I?"

"You did, but - "

"And I know you don't think I'd keep a promise. But have I ever broken one before?"

Her gaze fell. Well, considering he only promised not to turn her into a vampire, she could say that he hasn't broken one. That wasn't to say he wouldn't in the future. She had only been in his company for about a week now, so who was she to completely trust that he wouldn't break a promise later on?

Wait, how long was she planning on being associated with him? Definitely not long enough for him to make a promise he could potentially break. All she had to do was wait for them to be far enough away from this room...All she had to do was remember the plan, and if that meant playing along with his little word games, then she would.

"No, you haven't," she mumbled.

He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead - she expertly ignored the way it made her heart flutter and her cheeks blush by the soft touch - and he finally fully let go of her body. He bent down to pick up her discarded dress and held it out to her.

"Shall we, then?"

She bit her lip and grabbed the dress, none too nicely, and put it back on. She refused to fall for his tricks, for that's all he was doing with her. Every word that spewed from his mouth was designed to make her fall for him - why he wanted that was lost to her - but she refused to think of him as anything other than a creature of darkness. Maybe she should adopt calling them all 'it' like Natsu was doing. It would probably make being in Zeref's company more bearable for her sanity if she did.

He didn't give her privacy as she dressed, content with watching as she draped it over her body and placed her hands on her back so she could zip it up, but she wasn't as embarrassed as she'd normally would have been. Even while they were dating, she always forced Natsu to go into the other room when she had to get dressed, feeling nervous whenever he just stood there and watched her with that stupid grin on his face. Zeref, on the other hand, didn't grin, but he didn't hide the fact that he was enjoying watching her, especially when her breasts were pushed out as she tried to zip the back of her dress.

She briefly wondered why it didn't bother her - again, ignoring how it made her body heat up and react enticingly to his stare - but the moment she had succeeded in zipping her dress, she immediately brought her arms to cross over her chest, obstructing them from his view. When they were hidden did he finally glance up at her face. Her reactions to him had to be because of what they had done together the last few days, that was all; her body was just remembering the way he touched her, kissed her, stared hungrily with those blood-lusted eyes…

She cleared her throat and looked away from him, her cheeks burning with her thoughts of him. She inwardly berated herself. She was supposed to be angry with him, not becoming aroused by the way he stared at her like she was the last woman on Earthland. She _should_ feel ashamed with herself for getting too intimate with a vampire, but she figured it was just because he was the first being who had touched her in such a way since she broke up with Natsu a few years back.

"Are we going?" she grumbled, realizing they had probably stood there for a few minutes, with him staring at her and her acting like a prudish virgin. She needed to get out of that room...out of that mansion, and away from _him_.

"Of course, my dear," he said, softly, before moving to the door. She hadn't heard him move, but she felt him. It was an odd sensation, though she was standing in one place, his movements felt like her own. She didn't have to look up to know he reached his hand out and opened the door. "Are you coming, my angel?"

She bit her lip as she let it go. _Pick your battles,_ she told herself as she started making her way across the room. She had every intention of walking out of that room with dignity, but right as she was about to cross over to the hallway, a gust of cold air stopped her. Her room had been warm, but she didn't think the rest of the house wasn't. Normally cold wouldn't stop her, but there was something ominous about stepping into the hallway. She didn't know why, but the thought of leaving the safety of her room terrified her.

Zeref, seeing her hesitation, gently placed his hand on her shoulder, jolting her from her reverie. To say he was surprised was an understatement. He had thought she would bolt out of that room with every intention of trying to escape him, so to see her show a little unease when presented with her freedom had him perplexed. He had every intention of letting her go, since they were now bound together, but seeing her rethinking leaving had him smiling.

She had never gone into a vampire hive without Natsu before, and with the knowledge that there could possible be hundreds of bloodthirsty predators pass that door had her concerned for her life. That had to be why she still didn't move to leave the room - her _prison_ , she had to remind herself. She had every confidence that, should she become attacked, she had enough experience to protect herself, but how long could she survive if she were overcome by an unknown number of vampires?

Her hand slid up to her neck, but she remembered she didn't have her cross. She had taken it off before she stepped into the shower - now realizing how stupid that decision was, she turned on her heel and walked into the bathroom.

Zeref watched her with a raised eyebrow, but his thoughts were put to ease when she emerged, hooking a silver chain around her neck, the simple silver cross hanging limply on her breast. He watched as she brought the cross to her lips with a chaste kiss, and hid it in her cleavage. The action caused him to blink at her, but she seemed more courageous with her last line of defense. They both knew the cross was useless against him, but it was probably the most effective weapon on her person against any normal vampire.

She bit her lip as she stopped at the doorway again. She had her cross, a dagger hidden in a pocket in the skirt of her dress, and little silver-tipped needles scattered about on her person - hiding in her shoes, the stitching of her dress, in her hair...She was fully prepared to fight for her life if need be.

But she didn't have to be cautious, Zeref thought to himself as he gently grabbed her hand. She must have forgotten he was standing there, and no one would dare look at her as long as he stood by her side. However, he didn't say anything so she could keep her dignity as a Hunter. He had the sinking suspicion that she would never admit to putting her life into his hands, and he was okay with that. Everything she had on her person was absolutely useless when used against him, and that was all that mattered.

He placed a kiss on the top of her head, and pulled her out the door. He felt her body shiver as she stepped through, but she seemed fine once she was fully out of her room. He did notice, however, that the farther away from her room that they walked, the less she wanted to breathe. She was truly frightened, and his heart hurt to know she was anything but comfortable. He stopped and immediately wrapped his arms around her, taking her completely by surprise. He placed his cheek against hers, and placed his mouth close to her ear.

"Have no fear," he whispered, his hot breath sending shivers through her body. He was pleased to know these new shivers weren't from fear, but from him. "I promise nothing will happen to you while you are out. I will never let anyone hurt you." He pulled back and smiled warmly down at her. "You are too precious for me to allow anyone to come near you. You are safe with me."

Her eyebrows creased when he told her she was precious. He had said that to her before, and she wondered just how much that meant to him. Was he just trying to butter her up, or did he actually mean it? She didn't want to know, no matter how curious she was, she didn't want to know. Honestly...she didn't want to know.

Okay, maybe a little bit, but she'd never admit out loud that she wanted to know how much she really meant to him.

She nodded slightly, and he kissed her forehead again. She licked her suddenly dry lips, and allowed him to pull her along.

She had completely forgotten her mission to escape when she realized he stopped in front of a pair of large oak doors. She had been so immersed in her fear of being seen or attacked that she placed her safety wholly into Zeref. She shook her head as he let go of her hand - her hand followed his, regretful for having him let go, but she pulled it back when she realized what she had done. She had never been afraid to walk amongst vampires before, so why was she so terrified now?

It's because she's so out of practice, being cooped up in a bedroom for however many days. That had to be it. People get rusty after no practice for a couple days...it happened all the time.

He opened the doors unceremoniously, and stepped aside to allow her entrance. She glanced at him briefly before she stepped in the room, but when her eyes landed on what was before her, she froze, her mouth falling open.

This was the biggest library she'd ever seen, bigger even than the one at Fairy Tail. Just the immediate room was open, and she could see three stories worth of bookshelves. The smell of old paper wafted around her, and she breathed in deeply, relishing in the smell she could only truly experience in the library at her guild. There had to be centuries worth of text in that room, so many books just begging to be read. She could only imagine what those tomes contained: history, biographies, possibly even fictional tales that only the minds of the undead could conjure.

She felt a gentle warmth on her elbow, and she lazily brought her gaze to that of a smiling king. She enjoyed the library, as he thought she would. Her ancestor had been the main reason for this room in his home, and Lucy reminded him so much of the girl from back then that he knew she would love this room as much as Mavis. However, this was only the setting of what he truly meant to show her, but he did bask in her happiness for the moment. What he had intended to show her had the possibility of scaring her and her wanting to leave him. Sure, she wanted to leave him before, but now he had no intention of keeping her against her will.

Lucy slowly made her way to the closest bookshelf, entranced by the old binding of a random book on a shelf at her eye level, signifying an age that probably rivaled Master Makarov himself. Her hand lifted, and she reached out touch it, wanting nothing more than to feel that old leather against her fingertips.

However, just inches away from the book, a throat was cleared from across the room - one that was definitely not belonging to Zeref - and she jumped and whirled around, her hand resting on her thigh, just above her dagger.

An elderly man stood across the room, his eyes unmoving under incredibly bushy eyebrows. His long mustache blended into his beard, and it twitched slightly as he visibly frowned. He stood with his back straight, his body covered in a dark brown robe, and he held a large staff in his hand. He stood there with an air of wisdom she had never felt before. This vampire wasn't just old, he was ancient. She had never come face to face with one so old, except Zeref, of course.

"Ms. Heartfilia," the old man's voice boomed from across the room. She jumped when he said her name, wondering how it is he knew her name. Maybe he also possessed telepathy? "I've heard so much about you in these past years," he continued. "It's a pleasure to finally meet the Blonde Devil."

She clenched her jaw tight and gulped. So he's heard of her; she wasn't sure if she should be honored, or terrified - honestly, she felt a little bit of both. She glanced at Zeref, who had remained unmoving this whole time, then back at the old man, but his eyes were on the king now, as well.

"The room you requested is ready, Master," he said.

Zeref nodded and held his hand out to Lucy, silently telling her to take it. She stayed rooted to her spot, however, refusing to let this other vampire see how easily his king could command her. Instead, she clenched her fists.

"What's in that room?" she demanded of Zeref. She did an inward cheer that she was able to keep her voice level.

"My angel," Zeref replied, unaffected by her tone, "you don't think _this_ is what I wanted to show you?" He slowly swung his hand around, indicating the main library.

She blushed, finally unable to keep her level head. Yes, she had thought this is what he wanted to show her - she didn't question how he knew she liked books so much, she just figured she might have talked in her sleep or something. He had enjoyed seeing her so happy, so who was she to question he had any further motives?

"She is familiar, isn't she?" the old man observed, causing her to look back at him. What did that mean? His head had tilted slightly, his eyes creased at the corners, and he was smiling at her. She wanted to be afraid of that smile, but it wasn't malicious in the slightest. She felt like she was looking at her grandfather, though she'd never met him - her real grandfather had passed before she was born. He reminded her of Master Makarov almost, in the way he held wisdom, and was absolutely terrifying, but the moment he smiled at you it filled you with so much love and warmth, you never wished to leave his presence.

That thought terrified her more than everything else she'd been thinking about. He was a vampire, probably the most dangerous she's ever met aside from the one at her side, and she was comparing him to the kindhearted Makarov that took her in when she had nowhere else to go.

"Yes," the old man breathed. "She's exactly like her."

"If you please, August," Zeref interjected before Lucy could question the other vampire. "We must be going." He grabbed Lucy's hand and attached it to his arm, immediately leading her through a small hallway in the back of the room.

Lucy reminded that older vampire - August - of someone. Not just any someone: a girl. A rush of jealousy ran through her when she thought of Zeref with another woman whom she reminded them of. Was he trying to replace that other woman with her? Was that what was really going on? He was a lovesick puppy just trying to fill the void with another woman who was like the one he lost.

Once they were out of sight of August, she pulled her hand away from Zeref, immediately crossing her arms over her chest. This was almost like her relationship with Natsu, except Natsu had eventually thought of Lucy as Lucy, and not used her as a replacement like when they originally got together.

"Don't take what August says to heart, my angel," Zeref said, feeling the need to ease the tension with a wave of his hand. "He's been around for almost a millennia; his mind is starting to go."

"He seemed pretty attentive to me," she grumbled. "Is that why I'm here? Because I remind you of someone?"

Zeref sighed, but didn't deny it. "All will be revealed momentarily, my dear."

"You _are_ using me as a replacement!" Her mouth dropped in a perfect circle. She felt so ashamed and angry at this revelation. She thought they had something special, what with that bond he kept going on about, but everything was just bullshit. She stopped walking and stared at him, wide eyed. She wished, now more than ever, that she could harm him with her weapons. No one used her as a replacement. Natsu learned that quickly, and now the king of vampires was going to learn it.

"Angel - "

"Is that why you keep insisting on calling me that? Because that's what you used to call _her_?"

Zeref stopped and turned a lazy gaze on her. He had meant to have this conversation later, in the private room he had arranged, and after he explained this all to her.

"And here you were talking to me like I was actually something special, when, in reality, I'm not. I mean, _I_ know I'm special. I'm the best damn vampire Hunter Earthland has seen since Master Makarov was a Hunter. The only reason why I'm here in the first place is because you're somehow immortal, and all that bullshit about you not being able to kill me is complete and utter...well, bullshit. And another thing - "

" _Enough!_ "

Zeref had calmly listened to her ranting, but he had had enough. He grabbed her shoulders in a tight grip and glared at her, voicing his demand that she stop talking. His voice was so low and dangerous, that she immediately obliged. He wouldn't admit out loud that he might have used his master powers over her, because he still needed her to trust him, at least for the next few minutes. However, he felt he needed to push her a little so they could finally reach their destination in peace.

"You are sorely mistaken, _Hunter_ , about everything you are assuming. You are going to quietly follow me, and you will listen to what I have to say. I don't care if you're angry afterward, take out your frustration on me, or leave. You will hear me out, understand?"

Her eyes had widened as he talked, and she nodded. If all he wanted was for her to listen to him tell some sort of boring story that she had no interest in caring about and he'd let her go home, then she'd willingly do it.

He nodded his acceptance of her compliance, and he replaced her hand on his arm, and pulled her along. She couldn't concentrate on the books they were moving passed as her mind whirled around what she wanted to do the moment she got home. Go to Fairy Tail, for one, wrap her arms around Natsu and never let go, tell Master everything she knows about the king, probably every thing Zeref was going to tell her now…

* * *

Brandish clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth as she stared down at the dead body at her feet. She should have known he would react that way - he was a man constantly fighting for his life, of course he'd attack the first unknown face he'd see after waking up in an unknown location.

"And here I thought you'd show more compassion because she was a volunteer," Brandy mumbled.

"What?" Natsu yelled from his spot on his temporary bed. "She was a _human_?" The Hunter sighed in frustration as he ran his hands through his hair. "Why the hell would you send a human in here?"

"Because I thought you'd spare her life. Had I sent in a vampire or servant, they'd be dead within seconds." She opened the door and waved her hand.

Natsu's hands clenched around a sharp object that he had just grabbed from the nightstand beside the bed when he realized he didn't have any of his weapons. The moment he saw someone standing over him, he grabbed it and sliced the woman's throat. He had immediately noticed he wasn't in his own bed, or Lucy's couch, and the human - which he now knew - wasn't familiar to him. What was he supposed to think?

A vampire entered from the hallway and grabbed the dead woman, pulling her out of the room. Natsu and Brandy waited until the vampire was completely gone before she shut the door and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I should've realized you'd never ease off your killing impulses," she berated. "Who cares if it's human or vampire, if it isn't family they deserve to die."

"I already told you I didn't know she was human. I had just woken up, I don't know where I am, and there's this strange person standing above me." He glanced around the room for the first time in the last five minutes since he woke up. "Where am I?"

"You passed out in my office so I brought you to my room."

"I passed out?" No, that couldn't be right. He'd never show such weakness in front of a vampire, especially Brandish. She could have slit his throat, and he'd be none the wiser; he wouldn't put it passed her to do it. So then… "You didn't kill me?"

"Oh, trust me, I wanted to. However, the ending result would have been much more annoying to deal with. Can you imagine all the hassle if your dead body showed up randomly in a ditch? Or...not at all?"

"Well...thank you, I guess." He wasn't sure how to take that. In all honesty, he'd expect nothing less of her than to kill him the moment she got the chance. Hell, any other vampire would. He was sure there was a reward in the vampire community for his head - Lucy was also on that list -

 _Lucy_! She was alive, and, for some reason, he believed Brandy when she told him this. He still did; he had to. This was the only lead he's had to his best friend's well being since she left him that day, and, apparently, his body was so relieved that it decided to catch up on much needed sleep. Granted, he'd prefer if he was able to wait until he made it back to Lucy's apartment before going comatose - Lucy's apartment was located in town, whereas his home was a few miles outside in the middle of the forest, which was one of the main reasons he spent so much time in her place to begin with.

"Why are you making those weird faces? Are you sick?"

Natsu blinked up at the vampire, unaware that he'd been doing anything with his face. He shook his head, chuckling. He was feeling happier than he had in days, and no amount of anger from Brandy would squash it.

Lucy was alive, he would never get tired of thinking that. She had been kidnapped, but she was alive, and well, according to Brandy. He had, briefly, wondered if the vampire was even telling him the truth - he wouldn't put it passed her to lie to him - but if she was lying, wouldn't he know? Why was he so willing to believe that she told him the truth?

"Salamander…"

Natsu looked up and realized she had taken a seat next to him, her back straight and her emotionless gaze staring at the wall opposite them. After a few minutes, he was about to ask what she wanted, but she spoke.

"There's more to it than her just being alive," she whispered. He almost didn't hear her, and, had it not been for his extraordinary hearing, he would have missed it.

"What do you mean?" he asked. "You said she was alive and well. How much more is there?"

"The reason why I won't let you seek her out." She turned hardened eyes towards him, and he was suddenly on his guard. If she was going to kill him, he'd at least take something from her...her ear, a finger maybe…"You are right. My king did take her, but there's more to it than just an innocent kidnapping."

He kept his mouth shut, but he wanted to know what sort of kidnapping would be classified as innocent.

"She attacked him," Brandy continued, returning to look at the wall. "I do not wish to tell you this, but we feel it is in your best interest. Normally I can't be bothered with explaining anything, but it's for the greater good of my people that you stop killing us unmercifully."

"If you want to justify _his_ reasoning for taking Lucy away from me...from Fairy Tail, then you can hold your breath."

She glanced at him briefly, but shrugged. "It's up to you whether you listen or not, Salamander, I could care less either way. He wants you to know, so you don't end up storming his home pointlessly." She smiled as he gave her a confused expression. "She may not want to leave with you if you do, and you may be killed in the process."

"That's bullshit," he spat. "Lucy would never voluntarily stay with those creatures."

"You forget, Salamander, that I am one of those creatures."

She leaned towards him, smirking, but he didn't budge.

"Just tell me what you need to tell me, then let me go."

She nodded. "There's a rumor spreading through our history as to why our king is a special case."

"What the hell are you talking about? He's a vampire. What's so special about him?"

"Ah, yes, I forget how ignorant you humans are to our legends. You know, just because you view us as nothing but murderers, we have a history just as prominent as your own. While you have your God, we have our King."

"You're going to compare him to God?"

"Some believe they are related. Only the lucky few know the real story, and, fortunate for you, I am one of the lucky few."

"Oh goody."

"Do you know how old I am, Salamander?"

"I don't really care."

"I was a newborn when the King first woke about five hundred years ago. Since then I have risen in the ranks to become one of his personal servants. What I have to say is all true, not speculation. However, I do ask that you keep it between us. My king didn't specify that he wanted this information kept secret, but it's not his job to make sure our secrets remain our secrets."

"Then why tell me at all?"

"Because this has to do with your precious Lucy. Because I value my king's life, and because he ordered me to tell you. I don't agree with this, but I do what he tells me to do."

Natsu folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at her. He didn't like the way Lucy's name sounded from her mouth, with such malice and hatred, but, coming from a vampire who's been victim enough times at the hands of Lucy and himself, he figured Brandy deserved a bit revulsion. He kept his mouth closed, and allowed her to tell him whatever she needed to tell him. Would he keep the secret? Depending on the contents, he might not have a choice but to tell his master.

"Our king started out as a human, just like any other vampire, but that's as far as the similarities between his being and our own. Centuries ago, when he was fairly new, he embraced his new power, and wanted nothing more than to share it with those he held closest: his family. He was born into slavery, and, as the legend states, he sold his soul to take revenge on those responsible for his family's pain. That's how he became a vampire, a creature of the darkness who spreads fear and death unto those whom he deems unworthy of existing. However, when he presented this gift to his family, they were so afraid of him, _for_ him, that they prayed to your God for help.

"Upon hearing their desperate plea, God answered by sending an angel down to abolish the evil from within him. He fought the angel, refusing to let his power be taken away from him, and he ended up drinking the angel's blood. Angered, God cursed him to live an immortal life, however he'd only be able to sustain himself with the blood of angels. In turn, he forced the angel, who failed to save our king, to live a mortal life as our king's life source.

"Over time, our king was able to gain a following, but those who he turned into vampires couldn't touch the angel, so they were forced to drink from humans."

"What happened when they tried to drink from the angel?" Natsu couldn't help the curiosity interrupt her story - of which he still thought it - though an interesting story at that.

"As you can imagine, an angel's blood is among the purest of quality. If someone tried to get close to the angel, our King would lose control, immediately going into defense mode, and kill those he was aware of getting close. Or, if someone was successful enough to come close, the moment their fangs pierced the skin they would burst into flames and die immediately. No one, save for the king, is able to withstand the purest energy an angel has to offer. Granted, after a few years, the vampires stopped trying." She raised her eyebrow at him, telling him to not interrupt again, and Natsu nodded, looking away. She took a deep breath and continued. "After a few years, the angel met a human woman to whom he fell in love with. However, due to a personal loathing for himself, he denied the happiness he so wanted, until our king found out about this infatuation. He allowed the angel to marry the woman, and they started a family, and lived a happy life, until the angel started to realize he wasn't aging like a normal human. He had remained immortal alongside our king, and they realized their souls were intertwined. Not only was the angel sustaining our king's life, our king was sustaining the angel's life. The angel fell into depression, and he tried to commit suicide many times, hoping that, should his life end, then so would our king's.

"He was unsuccessful, obviously, and so he turned to God, one last time, desperate to know how he could break his tie from the king. God, mercifully, answered the angel, saying the only way to break his tie with the king was to cut off his magic. However, the moment he did so, our king's magic would seek out another in order to keep living. Despite the warning, the angel did as he was told, and they were no longer connected. However, just as God had said, our king's magic reached out to the closest being it could find that it felt was angelic. Our king's new servant was the angel's daughter, who was so in love with our king, that she happily accepted the responsibility to sustain his life for as long as she could. A hundred years past before her magic ran out, and her life ended, and our king entered the eternal slumber for the first time."

"The first time?" Natsu couldn't help this question either. It was said that no vampire woke from eternal slumber the moment they entered, and, just the fact that the rumor of the king waking up from eternal slumber was laughed about among the humans. Maybe the so-called "king" didn't exactly enter an eternal slumber like they all believed.

"Yes, he has been in six eternal slumbers since his rebirth, and, each time, he only woke when a descendant of that angel found him and offered their life to him. They would roam the Earthland until the descendant's magic ran empty, and he'd enter another eternal slumber. The last descendant was none other than Mavis Vermillion."

This raised his eyebrows, and his head snapped to look at the vampire at his side. "You're lying," he whispered.

"I'm not. The first master of Fairy Tail was our king's last servant. Don't you humans wonder why she was stuck in a girl's body for as long as she was alive?"

"It was stated that she had a health condition…" Though, the moment he said it, the truth of Brandy's words dawned on him. She had often been compared to an angel, in both beauty and innocence. "So you're telling me that our first master was the king's servant? I don't believe it."

"For four hundred years she kept him alive, and, in turn, he kept her alive. I was made elite before Fairy Tail had started. After a few years, she and our king broke away from each other. Her age caught up to her, killing her within a few hours, and our king was awake long enough to lay down a few laws concerning the enmity between our races, and he went back into slumber. Now, a hundred years later, he's awoken, and has been searching for another angel descendant."

He didn't need her to clarify to know who she was talking about. "Lucy would never agree," he said. "She hates vampires as much as I do, if not more. Why would she volunteer to help keep the damn king alive?"

"She doesn't have a choice. It's her destiny. She can deny it all she wants, but she is the last known descendant. Eventually, her birthright purpose will take over, and she'll give herself to him."

"She'll die before she lets that happen."

"You seem so sure, Salamander. However, the process has already started taking over her. Any day now, she'll willingly give herself to our king, and she'll become his life source, and, in turn, he will become hers. It's inevitable."

Natsu clenched his fists.

"So, you see? She is alive, she is well, and she will become the being who will keep our king alive to help us win this war."

Without warning, he swung his fist at the vampire, unable to listen to her anymore. The vampire dodged his attack with ease, ducking and rolling off his bed. She stood across the room from him, looking unperturbed in her silk robe and high heels, but he wasn't fooled. She looked delicate and weak, but he knew better. He had to get out of that room, wherever he was, and get to Lucy before she was coerced into doing something she didn't want to do.

"Tell you what, Salamander," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'll let you go, and you can search for her, or you can tell your Hunter companions about what I just told you, because by the time you rescue the Blond Devil from our king, it'll be too late."

He shouted a wordless roar as he lunged for her, but she disappeared before he could make contact. He didn't pause to evaluate the situation, for every second he spent hesitating was a second closer to Lucy's demise.

He didn't stop to realize that the halls were completely empty as he ran through, relying on his super senses to lead him out of the building, the only thought on his mind being a single word: Lucy.

~.~

Lucy couldn't believe her eyes. She looked up at the vampire who sat in the corner, quietly staring out the window into the night. She had to admit, the first time she was brought to this room, escaping through the window crossed her mind more than once. However, her ever-present curiosity won her over, and she accepted the book Zeref handed her. He had said it held much wanted information about him and his people, and she took the opportunity to find out anything she could find out that might help fight against the vampires.

Zeref promised she could go home if she read what he wanted her to read, and she took full advantage.

However, as she closed the book, she wasn't so sure she wanted to remember what it is she found out. Taking her eyes off Zeref, she slumped in her chair, trying to digest this new information. At first she didn't believe a word of it, but the book even talked about her parents, how the death was because of a rogue vampire who feared the return of the king, but was stopped before he could finish his job; a job that, some believed, was given to him by a Hunter guild, Fairy Tail being the main suspect.

She refused to believe her beloved Fairy Tail was the cause of her parents' deaths. That was something she would expect from Sabertooth, but definitely not Fairy Tail. Then again, Sabertooth was much newer than Fairy Tail, with a much less devastating reputation among the vampires, so she couldn't blame them for assuming it was the number one guild.

That wasn't the issue, however, and she shook her head to bring herself back to the main problem she had. She was destined to become tied to the king of vampires with no other purpose than to keep him alive. How ironic was that? The book explained the reason why she couldn't kill him, and why he wouldn't let anyone take blood from her. It explained why she was still alive, why Zeref was so concerned for her well-being.

It also explained that, because she was the last descendant, his life could very well end with hers. However, was she willing to kill herself so he wouldn't be able to live? Before, she wouldn't have thought twice about it: of course she'd do it. Now, however, she felt hesitant. Why? Nothing really changed in the last few days.

"Zeref," she whispered, but she didn't know what to say to him. She wanted to say something, but nothing came to mind. Instead, she just stared down at the book on the table.

"Do I deserve the right to call you my angel, now?" he asked, breaking the silence. She looked up at him, her eyes falling on his smiling, amused face. Was he trying to make a joke? Was he being serious?

She shrugged. Technically he could...no! No, he's still not allowed to call her that. The moment she allows him this little nickname, she's pretty much giving up her freedom.

"Why did you show me this?" she decided to ask.

"I figured I owed you an explanation to why I've been keeping you here."

"Have I…?" She couldn't finish that question, but he knew what she was asking. He kept his pleasant face on hers, not giving her a hint to whether the answer was yes or no. "Have we...Am I…?"

"Yes." His face fell as she stared at him, horrified by his answer. He watched as her body started shaking, and she clenched her fists and held them in her lap. Her eyes darted back and forth, and he knew what she was thinking. Standing from his chair, he quietly made his way to her, and squatted next to her. She hadn't acknowledged him, so he gently placed his hands on top of hers, earning a jump. He used his other hand to gently press against her cheek, and he used his thumb to wipe away the tears that started falling.

"This can't be happening," she whimpered. He hated seeing her like this, knowing how strong of a Hunter she was in the outside world. Normally he prided himself in bringing even the strongest of foes to their knees with pain, but not his angels. If anything, he would bend to almost every will they desired from him, so to see her in so much turmoil because she was bound to him hurt him almost as much as it hurt her.

He knew it was because of their binding that he felt this way, and this was the reason why he tried to make them as happy as possible. Of course a couple of them were devastated when they first found out about their binding to him, but Lucy was the first one to deny him even after they were together.

It was the main reason he allowed for her to leave, knowing that would make her happiest despite how much he would hate it. He felt lonely when they chose to live their lives away from him, but he understood their need to do so. As long as they were around when he needed to feed every year or so, he let them lead their lives as they normally would. Granted, only the first one was the only one who had tried to kill him, so he wasn't used to the hatred Lucy held for him.

"Can we end it?" she asked. He tilted his head, and so she elaborated, though he really didn't need her to. "Is there a way to break this bond without either of us dying?"

"I would expect you'd want me to die, though."

"Of course. But if you die, then I die as well. What's the point of killing you if I can't celebrate it?"

Despite the seriousness of the statement, he chuckled breathily. He hadn't told her that killing him would kill her as well, but the bond between vampire and servant were universal, whether it was between a normal vampire and a human, or the king and his angel. If one member of the bond was to die without cutting their soul from the other member, the pair would die together. However, unlike any regular vampire and human bond, Zeref had the power to cut off the magic without death. Mostly, though, that resulted in the angel dying since they'd lived well past their expiration.

He refused to cut the bond without plausible cause, however, and just because she didn't like him wasn't a plausible cause. Call him selfish, but he wanted to keep her for as long as he could.

"Surely you already know the answer to that," he whispered, letting her believe that only death could separate her from him. Luckily the book didn't go into the technical side of their bond, and he would divulge her eventually, but not now.

She gulped and nodded, looking back down at her hands in her lap. "Will you let me leave now?" she whispered.

"If that is what you wish," he answered in an equally quiet tone. "We are together now, Angel, so I can guarantee your safety. I will no longer fear for your life when you step out that door and back into the real world."

"Is that what you call it?" she asked him. "You trying to keep me safe? You sucked my blood until I was near death, you kept me locked in a single room for nearly a week, you forced me to - " She cut off, her face flaming as she remembered the more intimate moments of her imprisonment.

He smirked, not needing to read her mind to know what she was thinking about. He leaned closer to her so his nose gently rested against her cheek. "It wasn't forced, Angel," he whispered. "You wanted it just as much as I did, otherwise the bond wouldn't have given us the opportunity."

"What does that mean? I didn't want to do that. You somehow did something to my mind to make me do that." She pushed off the chair and stalked away from him, hiding how much she liked having him so close to her. It was the bond, it had to be.

"I'm not able to force you to do anything," he said. It wasn't the whole truth, but telling her that he did have some control over her actions wasn't something she needed to hear just then. "It was the bond, yes, but it was all you."

"That is just bullshit that you're spouting to get me to accept this."

"Not at all." Though the smile he gave her now did nothing to back up his statement. She had to get away from him, away from this mess she suddenly found herself in. Even now, as they stared defiantly at each other, she felt that rising desire in her body, slithering through her veins, warming her blood.

She shook her head. "I want to leave, now," she said. As he raised an eyebrow at her sudden demand, she gulped and looked away. She wanted to stand her guard, but she couldn't fight the way she wanted to feel him against her, especially while she was looking at him.

"You want leave now?" He asked this as an amused question. He knew what she was feeling - he felt it, too - but he wasn't as disgusted by them being together as she was. He never was, but he had more time to become used to it. He had never been so attached to one of his angels before; he'd loved them, yes, but Lucy Heartfilia is the first he felt desire for. He'd allowed those few angels to do what they wanted with him - again, anything to make them happy - but he never initiated a coupling, never went out of his way to touch them - even those innocent pats on the head, grabbing her hand, brushing her hair away from her face. He'd questioned what was so different with her before, but, at the moment, he didn't care.

"You promised to let me go after I read your story," she pushed. Her hand moved on autopilot, grabbing at the chain hanging around her neck. If anything, she just wanted to be alone.

"It's not a piece of fiction made up for your enjoyment," he pressed. "This is your life now."

"I never asked for it to be."

His eyes narrowed. Very rarely did he feel any emotion, let alone something so trivial as anger, frustration. Yes, he promised to let her be free, but to let her leave thinking their bond was nothing more than some physical attraction wouldn't set well in his mind. This was a matter of life and death for the both of them, and if she were to leave now without understanding this, she could very well be the destruction of them both.

He was more than aware that she was the last descendant of that damnable first angel, so her life was more than precious to him, and he needed her to see that for herself. Maybe she felt dirty for reading about her history - he didn't think she'd be happy once she learned it all, but he could tell what she was thinking now.

Her eyes were wide, her skin had grown paler than before, there were beads of sweat forming on her brow. He could hear her heart pounding faster than normal, and her skin vibrated with the shaking of her limbs...but she didn't look like any of that bothered her. Her mind was in a dangerous place, and he needed to ease her fears before he let her back into the real world, or else she - or someone - wouldn't hesitate to break her free of this bond, and, ultimately, killing the king - the redemption - of the vampires.

Swallowing back his anger, he was at her side in a flash, wrapping his arms around her body, pulling her close. He held no ill intent, no hidden seductions, and she could tell. She tensed at first, but, for reasons beyond what she could come up with, the contact calmed her nerves.

She didn't realize how frightened she had been until she felt him. Her fist had clenched her necklace so hard there was a deep red indent in the shape of the cross and chain, which she just stared at while he poured his magic into her, easing her heart rate.

Sighing contently, she leaned her body onto his, her eyelids growing heavy as if she hadn't just woken up a few hours before. He had done something, she felt it, and she wanted to be angry, anxious, but all she felt was mild content and calm.

"How did you do that?" she asked, her voice breathy and tired.

"I just calmed you," he answered.

He calmed her? What did that mean?

"Before you lash out again," he continued, "I used my magic to ease your nerves."

"You controlled me?" Her earlier irritation was slowly returning, and she pushed off him. "You lying piece of - "

"I didn't control you," he snapped in a rush.

"Then what do you mean you used your magic to calm me? That sounds an awful lot like controlling." She had moved around the table to put it between them.

"It's one of the many perks of being tied to me."

Lucy scoffed. Perks...yeah.

"It's not just one way. If you learn to control it, you can do the same to me."

"I can make you feel whatever I want you to feel?"

"You're making it sound more complicated than it actually is."

"I'm making it sound exactly the way it sounds. It's how you've been forcing me to do your bidding since I came here, isn't it?"

That made sense. He had told her before that his vampire powers didn't work on her, but obviously this little twist did work on her. It was how he was able to order her to sleep on command, how he made her take the water that first day, how she let herself get so intimate with him...she refused to believe she was fully aware of her own actions during those couple of times. She would never willingly give her body to a vampire like that - she had more self respect than those easy volunteers, or even a common servant.

All those things had nothing to do with the fact that, somehow, her destiny was to be this vampire's lifeline. This was the king of vampires, after all. He was just drawn to her because she was the only human - that she knew of - in that room when he woke, and she was the first thing he saw - or so he claimed. His want to be with her had nothing to do with some made up fantasy.

She wasn't an atheist - if she were, she wouldn't be a very successful Hunter, unable to believe in the power her holy items possessed - but even she thought the story she read was a little far fetched. Why would God force an angel to go through such torment just because Zeref managed to overpower him? That sounded like a glorified exaggeration, a tale made more interesting by vampires to tell their young before bedtime, to make their kind seem more significant than they actually are. That wasn't something unheard of for either races, human and vampire alike.

"I may have stretched the truth a little back then," he finally said after a few moments of silence. "I never tried to kill you, like I stated before."

Lucy's eyes glanced at him for a moment before looking away. Well, that wasn't exactly a terrible lie; she'd rather he lied about that than anything else.

"I knew exactly who and what you were when I first saw you," he continued. "And, maybe unconsciously, you knew as well."

She opened her mouth to interrupt, but he cut her off.

"I wouldn't have been able to wake if you weren't in the area. You wouldn't have had to be in the same room, but in a small radius from where my body lay. The moment you stepped within that radius was when I woke. The legend states that my angels come looking for me, not the other way around."

"It was just coincidence," she settled with. "I was just following a vampire to corner him and take him out."

"You followed a vampire into a hive? Willingly? Did you have backup?"

"No." Okay, so put it the way he was currently putting it, it was a stupid decision on her part to go there in the first place. She had been lucky to have made it out alive - had it been any other situation, they would have noticed her immediately and taken care of her. She had thought it was because they were all too preoccupied with him to pay her any mind.

"Would you have done something like that normally?"

"It wasn't a normal night," she whispered. "We had heard the vampires were conspiring, and we had been sent out to find out what it was. There was just one vampire out that night - brand new - and he refused my willingness. I got curious, and followed him."

"I was told they'd been trying for a few years now to wake me, and I finally did that night."

She clenched her jaws as she looked up at him with wide eyes. His lips pulled into a soft smile.

"You had never been in that area before, have you?"

Her mouth went dry and she gulped, slowly shaking her head. He wasn't saying much, but her heart was forcing her to believe all that she currently learned to be true. Briefly, she wondered if he was using his magic on her again, but she could tell when he was using his magic. All he was doing was smiling at her.

She sighed and looked away, crossing her arms over her chest. Another minute passed in silence, and she jumped when she felt his arms wrap around her again. Fear and anxiety slowly filled her chest, and she didn't want to think what this would mean for her future now.

"I've spent my whole life hating your kind."

"I'm not asking you to stop."

"Being a Hunter is all I've ever known," she continued. "I don't think I can just stop."

"Again, I'm not asking you to stop. You seem confused about the meaning behind this."

"Well then clarify it for me, because you're not letting me think anything different."

Zeref sighed and glanced out the window. They had been in that room all night, and now the sky was lightening - a dull gray color that indicated freezing temperatures and the sun slowly approaching. He could feel the discomfort in her soul, and his earlier deduction that she could possibly die if he let her leave was more than validated from their conversation. He needed to teach her how to survive now that she's no longer aging, though he knew what her reaction would be.

"Come, Lucy, you need to sleep." He started pulling her toward the door, but she held fast, pushing him off her.

"No! You promised I could leave, and that's what I intend on doing."

"The light's almost up - "

"So? You don't die in the sunlight."

"True, but I'm exhausted, as are you. You're still not used to this, yet, and neither of us will get very far."

"Then don't come with me." She didn't know when they had unconsciously decided that he was going with her, but the reasoning hit her suddenly as if it was their plan all along. She didn't know where they were. The house could be in Magnolia, the outskirts, or in some other far off place for all she knew. And he was right; she was tired as well, and the moment she step foot outside she could be overrun by who knows what threat that could be waiting for her. She needed his guidance, as much as it pained her to admit, and he was adamant about not leaving in that moment.

Sighing, she allowed him to lead her from the room.

"You promise we can leave when we get up?" she asked, a little uncertain, because, no matter what he said, she couldn't trust he'd be telling the truth. He had promised she could leave earlier, but that didn't happen.

He grabbed her hand and held it softly, but firmly. "I promised you could leave after you read that book," he said, glancing behind to smile at her. "And, as far as I'm concerned, I'm still upholding that promise. I said I'd let you leave after, but you were the one under the impression that I'd let you walk out that door without talking about it."

Blushing, she looked away. He was right, he didn't exactly say that once she was finished she could go, but it was also his fault for letting her believe it.

Groaning quietly, she bit her tongue and refused to say anything further.


	12. Chapter 11

She was nervous, something she hadn't felt in such a long time when facing a vampire hive. Though she's used to going in with weapons and killing intent, now she feels as naked as the day she was born. She stood just behind the shoulder of Zeref, who stood proud and tall, waiting for allowance to enter the building.

When he told her she would finally be leaving his home, she thought he'd allow her to walk free; she didn't think he'd stuff her in a car and force her to travel all night and day - she wasn't even sure they were still in the same state - until they pulled up to this secluded mansion in the middle of a forest. She knew she should be irritated that she wasn't home, but she was just glad to finally be allowed outside.

Zeref had been near silent for the entire journey. She had been hoping that, if he wasn't going to let her go home, then he was going to teach her about her new powers. He had only mumbled that he had something he needed her help with when he shoved her into the car at his home, and hadn't said a word since. It had been two days since they left, and, despite how much she'd tried to get any sort of conversation from him, he had said nothing. Even the driver was silent when she enquired about where they were going. At first she suspected that he might be hard of hearing, but he glanced at her momentarily when she mumbled about how irritating he was, and she knew he was just trying to ignore her.

After standing in front of the building for what felt like hours - though it was probably only a few minutes - Zeref finally glanced behind him and smiled at her, the first time he'd actually acknowledged her since the beginning of this journey. Just as he was opening his mouth to speak, the door opened, revealing an elderly human.

Whatever Zeref had been about to say, she would never know. As the elderly man invited them inside, she suspected the vampire did it on purpose, but she suddenly felt infinitely braver the moment he looked to her, whether he said anything or not. She realized her nerves stemmed from his ignoring her, and the moment he looked at her and smiled, she felt safer. She was walking into a hidden vampire hive with no weapons, but just knowing he was with her made her feel invincible.

They followed the man to a sitting room, where he motioned for them to relax while he fetched his master. Lucy sat next to Zeref on a plush sofa, but she didn't feel any comfort the sofa would normally offer her. The only thing keeping her from bolting out the door was a sense of heaviness she was receiving just from Zeref's body, almost like he was keeping her grounded without even touching her. Despite still being angry with him, he was her only safety net, so she had no choice but to rely on him.

In no time at all, they were joined by a familiar face. He stepped into the room, but that was as far as he would come. His hands were clasped together in front of his stomach, his eyes wide as he gets his first glance at his king, who remained sitting. Lucy had only seen him once before a few years back during one of Fairy Tail's many battles with vampires. She had thought he had died along with the rest of his previous hive.

Mard Geer bowed his head, his hair falling over his shoulder. "My King," he mumbled in his smooth, deep voice. "I am so honored to welcome you into my home."

Zeref remained motionless as he spoke. "Though only a short hundred years has passed since our last meeting, it feels like it's been much longer considering how much has changed."

"Agreed." Mard Geer straightened himself, and he finally noticed Lucy sitting beside his king. His mouth quirked, but she couldn't tell if it was out of amusement or something else. "And what a pleasure to meet with you again, Ms. Lucy."

Lucy remained silent, having nothing pleasant she wanted to say back at him. Her guild burned because of this vampire, and she was sure if she opened her mouth to speak, he would kill her for what she wanted to say to him.

Realizing he wasn't going to get anything out of her, he turned his attention back to the king as he walked fully into the room and took a seat in a cushioned chair across from them. For a moment, no one moved, except Lucy who kept glancing between the two vampires. She had never been in such a meeting before, but Zeref mentioned he needed her help, so she would sit obediently and wait for his command.

A human joined them - a young woman, dressed in a dark red evening gown, but no shoes - quietly making her way into the room, sitting next to Mard Geer. Without word, she held up her arm in front of him, her wrist facing up. Her dark eyes stared forward, but she wasn't focused on anything. Narrowing her own eyes, Lucy wondered if the girl was under a spell, which was illegal. Her hunter instincts made her stiffen as she watched the vampire bring his hand to pet her curly red hair.

"Please forgive me," Mard Geer said, looking at the girl, "but I have yet to feed this night. The moment I received word of your arrival, I have been kept busy making sure your stay here was comfortable. Lana, here, is the best I could find in such short notice."

Zeref held up his hand as the other vampire brought the girl's arm forward, almost in offering to the king.

"I'm afraid I must decline," Zeref said, placing his hand down on Lucy's thigh. "I am unfortunately reduced to taking blood from one being. Which is what brought me here."

Lucy feared for a moment that Zeref was going to take blood from her again - which didn't bother her as much as knowing he'd do it in front of another vampire - but was relieved when he took his hand from her, just as the other vampire guided the girl's arm to rest on her lap. A small crease appeared on the other vampire's forehead.

Zeref stood and walked towards a fireplace, his hands reaching up to run against the wood of the hearth.

"For reasons unknown to, apparently, everyone, my angels have almost been wiped out."

"Almost? Word was that they were." Again, Mard Geer glanced at Lucy

"Obviously not, since if they were I wouldn't be able to sustain myself for even this long." He turned around and glared at the vampire. "I am trying to find out who's responsible."

"But the vampire who was responsible was already killed. It was proven to be a single rogue, and Fairy Tail was kind enough to rid the world of this rogue."

"Yes, I heard. And, thankfully, those in Fairy Tail have been keeping the last angel safe, while those of my kin weren't able to kill a single vampire to keep my angels alive."

Again, Mard Geer glanced at Lucy, realization dawning on his face. "I assure you, my King, we at Tartaros have been working hard at finding another angel descendant for you."

"No need. I have done that part for you incompetent fools. I understand you've met before, and yet from your reaction now, I gather you had no idea."

"If she had not been trying to destroy us, I might have noticed that she was different than all the other Hunters." Though he was trying to defend himself, Lucy and the vampire knew this wasn't going to end well.

"Again, if you had been doing your job of stopping a single vampire from killing them, that wouldn't have happened. You and your followers are almost invincible, unable to fully die, and with that one member of yours with her healing abilities far more advanced than anything anyone has ever seen...You should have been able to stop a single rogue from wiping out an entire bloodline."

Without another word, Zeref held his hand out for Lucy, who stood obediently and grabbed his hand. Mard Geer sat next to his lifeless human, unable to get a word in defense. As soon as she touched Zeref's hand, he pulled her to him, holding her tightly against his body. He brought his other hand to his mouth where he pierced the skin with his fangs and forced the now bloodied wrist against Lucy's mouth. She tried to fight him off, knowing that if she were to ingest his blood, it would poison her body, effectively killing her and turning her into the creature she hated most.

Except there was no pain as the warm liquid flowed down her throat, spreading through her body. She could feel his magic penetrating her veins, her body feeling lighter.

Mard Geer stood from the couch as he watched his King force his own blood - a substance branded so sacred, it was supposed to be as untouchable as his angels' blood - into the woman who was enemy to all vampires. Had he known the blonde devil was actually an angel descendent, he wouldn't have let her run amok like she had, but it was too late now. He contemplated fighting, but what would be the point? He knew, the moment he laid eyes on the woman, that his time had finally come.

Lucy was able to wrench herself away from Zeref, blood trickling down her chin, dripping onto her white dress, probably staining the fabric. Her body was almost unbearably hot, but it felt so amazing, like nothing she'd ever felt before. She wanted to cry out, wanting the world to know how sweet, yet powerful the original vampire's blood tasted.

"Angel," she heard, though she was unaware from which direction it came. It was Zeref's voice, so she looked at him, her eyelids heavy as her mind clouded. He smiled at her, showing off his fangs, and his eyes glowed that beautiful bright red. She wanted to touch him, wanted him to touch her...her mind filled with thoughts of him, though he was standing right in front of her. It was as if his mind was hers, his power was hers.

"Angel," he spoke again, though his mouth didn't move. "Take your revenge. Your family is gone because of this vampire and his insufferable clan. Use my power, and wipe them out. Do your family proud, do me proud."

She couldn't take her eyes off him as his voice echoed through her mind. Despite the fact that he was pretty much telling her to kill his own kind, she wanted to do his bidding. She wanted to do anything and everything he asked, and, though she didn't know how without her weapons, she was willing to kill as long as he would praise her for it. She knew he was using his special power over her, and she knew she should probably be angry at him for it, but with his blood mingling with her own, she didn't care.

Turning from him to stare at the vampire host, she smiled as softly as she could manage. Kill the traitor…

Lucy held up her hand, and Mard Geer immediately moved to run away, but a light shot out of her hand, piercing him in his chest, grabbing hold of his heart. The vampire froze, his body shaking, and painful, gurgling cries escaped his mouth. The woman on the couch blinked as his power over her broke, and she started screaming when she realized the danger she was in.

An innocent...She was brought there against her will...She shouldn't be witnessing this…

Without looking away from the vampire, Lucy held her other hand out towards the human, more light shooting from her palm and into the chest of the woman. In a moment of mercy, Lucy ended her life with a quick death of smashing the woman's heart, almost like what she was doing with Mard Geer, but he was in intense pain. She wouldn't let him go so easily. Closing the hand that was facing the vampire, she imagined it was his heart she was slowly squeezing, and the way he cried out, she knew the organ was shrinking under the invisible pressure.

Make him suffer...He let the rogue kill your family...he let the rogue kill your mother…

She no longer knew which thought was her own, and which was Zeref's, but she knew whoever was speaking in her mind told the truth. She didn't know her family was supposed to be under the protection of Tartarus, but making him feel her own pain seemed right. It was his fault, it seemed, and he needed to know what it felt like to lose everything she ever cared about in an instant...He needed to know what it was like to lose her innocence in a moment's breath.

He needed to suffer as she had.

The other residents of the Tartarus hive had been alerted by the sounds of the woman and Mard Geer's cries, but Zeref and Lucy remained unconcerned. Zeref watched Lucy crush the vampire's heart, and he couldn't have felt more ecstatic unless he were doing it himself. He could feel Lucy's pain that she was pouring into the vampire, and he took pleasure in it. Never before had he used one of his angels to do his killing for him, but he felt she deserved the honor of wiping out this hive.

He watched the moment Mard Geer's heart gave out when the vampire finally seized crying out in pain, and crumbled to the floor. There was a moment of pride he felt seeing his traitorous follower lying dead on the expensive carpet. Lucy turned to look at him, a look of shock on her features, but he knew she felt the joy and overwhelming sense of victory at killing the clan's leader. Within moments they would be rushed by the inhabitants of Tartarus, vampire and servants alike, but he wasn't worried.

He grabbed her and pulled her to his body again, pressing his mouth against hers. She didn't fight him, but welcomed him as he kissed her, tasted his blood and power on her tongue. She wrapped her arms around his neck, wanting to be closer to him, but the sound of more vampires approaching made him break away.

There were no words spoken as he moved her to stand behind him while he calmly faced the vampires who wanted to rush him. No one asked questions when they saw their leader laying dead on the floor, blood pouring from his mouth. There weren't many inhabitants of the household, so it was easy and quick work for Zeref to kill them all. Without so much as a quirk of his mouth, he sent out an invisible force of darkness blasting towards the frozen vampires. The same pressure Lucy used to kill Mard Geer and the woman, Zeref used to kill many vampires at once, but quicker. Within moments every soul in the house collapsed, their hearts all suffering the same fate as their leader's.

Lucy's eyes widened as she watched the vampires fall to the floor before them, all dead instantly, and she was amazed none of them burst into flame or ash like she was used to. When he was certain every last one of them was dead, Zeref turned to his angel, who looked more like a demon with his blood dripping down her face. He reached out to wipe it away, but she flinched as soon as he touched her, her mind seeming to come back to her.

She was suddenly afraid of him again, but he was used to it. All in due time, would they be able to do this and not fear one another. One day she would look upon him like her god that he was originally supposed to be.

She backed away from him, her eyes wide, her hand immediately going over her mouth. She quickly regained her senses, her mind becoming her own as she watched the vampires drop with nothing but a thought from the king. She had never seen anything like it, and it was frightening to know there was a being out there with that kind of power. Now she understood why some wanted to wipe out the angel's line. If she had died with her family, Zeref wouldn't be standing here now, with the ability to kill without lifting a finger. She feared for the humans, for the Hunters.

She hadn't known it then, but she should have also been afraid for the vampires as well. Their King had been resurrected, and, now that he had his power back because of her, he wasn't a happy king.

~.~

AN: and with that, that's the end of part 1. Can I apologize for not updating in almost a year? Well I am. Can't do much without a computer though, and I've finally figured out how to do this with my phone. (Crossing my fingers this works!)

like I said, this is the end of part 1. Part 2 will feature a year time skip, budding relationships, a corrupt government, and deeper emotions. It'll be fun. When will I put that up? I don't know. I'll let this last chapter fester for a bit. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review or fave and follow if you haven't yet. Love you all!


	13. Part 2 - chapter 1

Disclaimer: All characters related to the Fairy Tail world belong to Hiro Mashima, respectively. All OC's are of my own creation.

Part 2

~.~One Year Later~.~

Makarov began the day like any other day. An early start saw him in his office, with a lovely steaming hot cup of coffee that, unfortunately, would be ice cold by the time he'd even get a sip; the first thing he saw on his desk was a large stack of papers that, more likely than not, had to deal with complaints people had about the way his children handled their jobs. He couldn't understand why clients were so surprised how Fairy Tail dealt with matters, considering their reputation wasn't exactly a secret. Honestly, if someone hired Fairy Tail, they should be expecting a building or two to come crashing down.

 _Maybe I should write out a waiver_... He thought as he hopped onto his seat. It would keep the council off his back, at least. For some reason they had been more pushy lately, even going as far as to blame things on his guild that had nothing to do with them. Frankly, he was starting to get tired of it, and planned on raising some Hell if it continued.

For example...Makarov sighed as he picked up a manila folder. He opened it and read through an accusation that someone from his guild broke into a _legal_ vampire hive, promptly setting the building on fire and killing every creature inside. During the day…

Now he knew his children were a little over excited when on a case, but he didn't have anyone out in that town at the time - he had the paperwork to prove it. Everyone was accounted for - but having the knowledge that someone was hunting the vampires _illegally_ caught his attention. It wasn't unheard of - there were thousands of smaller, darker Hunter guilds who didn't follow protocol, just like there were rogue vampires - but the fact that the council was blaming Fairy Tail instead of doing their job and investigating the dark guilds like they were supposed to, was, in fact, a little insulting.

He was in the middle of reading the file - such gore and torture of the already unconscious vampires was downright sickening - when the phone buzzed. He sighed, setting down the file, glad for a distraction. He pushed the red button, activating the speaker.

"Yes, Mira?" he asked, rubbing his hands over his weary face.

"There's someone from the council here, Master." Mira's voice was usually jovial, especially when talking over the intercom, but now she was hushed, and he could almost hear a faint waver in her voice. Though that could have been the crackling of the speaker - Makarov _hoped_ it was the crackling of the speaker.

Groaning, Makarov pushed his paperwork aside. He was too old and tired to be dealing with this. "Send them in."

The door opened within moments, as if the person was standing right behind the door. The regal looking man smiled the moment his lavender eyes settled on the elderly man behind the desk. Makarov suppressed a groan - figures the council would send a vampire representative to a guild being accused of hunting vampires illegally.

"Makarov, it's been too long, my friend." The vampire took a seat without being asked; until recently this would have been okay, but the old man wasn't in a friendly mood at the moment.

"Enough with the false friendliness, Arkade," the old man growled, clasping his hands together so he didn't go for a weapon. He really wasn't in the mood. "What are you doing here?"

The vampire across the way continued to smile as his eyes roamed over the desk, taking in all the file folders. "I'm sure you know," he replied.

Sighing, Makarov grabbed the file he'd just been studying, and tossed it at the creature. "This is utter bullshit, and you know it!" he snapped. "My children wouldn't attack a vampire hive without provocation, especially during the day. They may be over eccentric, but they're not stupid."

The vampire chuckled. If he were offended by the way the old man treated him, he didn't show it - not that he ever showed Makarov when he angered the vampire - but Makarov decided against saying everything that was in his mind. They _had_ been friends for a long time, and he didn't want to ruin it just because the council wants to pick on him again. Arkade was normally a jovial fellow, but he could be deadly when the time called for it.

"How far have you read?" Arkade asked, leaning back in the chair.

"Not very far." The old man grabbed the folder he had been reading, and traced his fingers over the rough paper. "What's the point of showing me this? It's obvious this was the work of a rogue hunter, not one of my own. We're rambunctious, but we've never broken the law."

The fact that Arkade's smile never wavered only angered Makarov, but he held his tongue until the other decided to answer him.

"I wouldn't say, 'never,' Makarov," he finally replied, leaning forward slightly. The old man stiffened, not sure if Arkade would go so far as to finally tell the council about his and Laxus's moment of treason; after all, it was Arkade who let him in on the little tip about the council killing Lucy's relatives. "I'm here of my own volition, and I'm here as a friend." The vampire's smile disappeared as he gently placed a white gloved hand on the folder, setting it on the desk. "The King has risen again, and I know you know this. Not many do, and to keep it that way, I had to do this." He pressed his forefinger against the file.

"Blaming us for _this_? Just so you can keep a secret from the rest of the council to protect your kind. I thought you were better than that."

"You thought I'd put humanity before my own race. Once word gets out that the King is back and has his own personal Hunter wiping out his own kind, it could mean war far more serious than any we ever imagined."

"So you're sicking the council on us? That's not very fair -"

"I'm trying to not only protect myself and my kind, but the moment the council realizes what you and your grandson did they'd be on you faster than you can blink...and that would be just the beginning."

Glancing down at the folder they both held under their hands, Makarov bit his lip. He hadn't gotten very far in the file, but what Arkade was insinuating made him fear the answer to his question. He didn't want to know, but he had to.

"Is it her?" he whispered. For a moment, no answer came, and Makarov ran out of patience. He slammed his hand on the desktop, though he received no reaction from the ancient vampire. "IS IT HER?"

Despite being on the receiving end of Makarov's rage, the vampire calmly nodded once. Sighing, the old man leaned back in his chair, rubbing his hands over his face. She knew better...she was raised better. No word from her in almost a year - except the assumption that Natsu's new friend was telling the truth when they say that Lucy's all right - and suddenly she's wiping out innocents. What was going through her mind? She should be home with them, not out running wild on a killing spree.

"They call her Princess," Arkade's soft voice interrupted his thoughts. He creased his eyebrows as he tilted his head at the vampire. "She is both revered and feared among us. On one hand, she brought our King to life, she's keeping him alive, and, together, they have been reaping justice for vampire-kind."

"How so?" Again, he was almost too afraid to ask.

"Together they've wiped out almost every rogue Hunter guild that we're aware of. On the other hand, she's doing this." Again, he motioned to the folder. "I met the King once in one of his past lives, and he loved us more than his own life. I can't imagine she's doing this on his order."

"Lucy hated vampires, but she always upheld the law, more so than anyone in Fairy Tail ever has."

"Be that as it may, she's under the council's radar. They still think she's a Fairy Tail Hunter - "

"That's because she is."

"And so, they think her actions are of direct order from you. That's why this is here. The other members waved off the rumor of the King waking a year ago, and I'm trying to keep it that way."

"But if this continues, what will happen to us?"

Arkade finally leaned back, linking his fingers and placing his joined hands in his lap. "I will try my hardest to make sure an investigation doesn't happen for as long as I can. Don't forget, Makarov, that you still have friends on the council, and we're trying to make it so she doesn't die, and you don't get arrested, though I really can't promise the former doesn't happen."

Shaking his head, the old man finally grabbed his coffee. "You will do everything in your power to make sure she doesn't die, because if she does, then so does your king." He took a sip as Arkade chuckled and pushed himself off the chair to stand.

"Well, I'm doing everything I can, anyway. I am just one member against four others, so it won't be easy. I will try." With a quick bow of his head, the vampire turned to leave. Before he could open the door, however, Makarov called after him.

"Thank you for letting me know," he said. "It's been so long since we'd heard anything of her wellbeing."

"She definitely has gotten stronger, both physically and mentally," the vampire replied. "She's not like any of his previous angels, and he's not going to let go of her as easily as any in the past. I just wish the circumstances were more agreeable."

"I do, too." Makarov didn't watch his guest leave, but he did take a sip of his lukewarm coffee as the door clicked shut. His guild was in a mess, and he wasn't sure how to clean it up this time. One thing was for sure...He needed Lucy to come home, where she would be surrounded by her family again. Maybe she wouldn't feel the need to kill anyone anymore, especially if the one person she trusted and revered as family was there to help keep her straight.

Downing his coffee, he half wished it was alcohol as he made the decision to call his grandson.

* * *

AN: Hey! I'm back, sorta. I've finally gotten a new computer (to which I immediately downloaded Skyrim and Stardew Valley, and my free time has been fully taken over by these games). Welcome to part 2 of Angels of Chaos. I apologize for the short chapter, but they're all going to be about this size from here on out. I think...it's been awhile since I've done any editing on the earlier chapters of part 2 that I'm not sure. Anyway, we're just all happy that I've finally gotten something out, right? Well, that's all for now so...thanks for reading! And don't forget to review/follow/fave. Or don't. I think I mentioned it before, but I'll post whether I get feedback or not. I'm a big girl, I can handle it. -insert winky face here-


	14. Part 2 -chapter 2

Disclaimer: All characters and locations related to Fairy Tail belong to Hiro Mashima. All original characters are of my own creation (kind of like they're my own fictional babies).

~.~

Brandish blinked boredly, inwardly doing a happy dance that she was able to school her features so. It always baffled her how a human was able to sneak into her home without raising any alarms or killing anyone. As it were, said human was now sleeping on her couch. Sighing, she closed the door and moved about her nightly duties before going out into the world.

His constant presence was actually becoming more of a nuisance, and she had told him this countless times. However, he kept coming back, thinking being around her kept him close to his princess.

Granted, Salamander's presence was much more tolerable than half the vampires she was forced to deal with; the lesser of two evils, as it were. However, it would be nice if he wasn't constantly asking about his friend or groaning that she didn't stock any food. Of course she didn't keep food around...she couldn't eat it.

Speaking of moaning and groaning, as she started picking her usual outfit for the day, said groaner rolled off her couch and splat to the floor. Without so much as a flinch of surprise, he began moaning and groaning at her.

"Brandee," his voice floated through her small underground apartment. He made as much noise as possible as he stood from the floor and made his way towards her bathroom. Had she not witnessed his Hunter skills in person - the sneaking, the strength, knowledge - she would never believe that this couch potato was one of the most deadly killers of this time.

She rolled her eyes and grasped her house coat tighter than the fabric could handle. Normally she didn't care if anyone saw her bare body, but, for some reason, she became timid where the Salamander was concerned. She quickly slammed the door shut before he could get too close. He fell against the door with a loud thump.

"Brandy," came his muffled voice, along with a soft knocking. "Brandy, I'm hungry."

"That's not my problem, Salamander." Her voice wouldn't come out as strict as she would have liked it to.

"You need to take better care of your guests by keeping food in your kitchen."

"I take adequate care of my _guests_ ," she replied, quickly throwing her clothes on. "You are not a guest, so it is not my problem if you're hungry. Besides…" She opened the door and let him stumble in, knowing full well he wasn't expecting it. "I don't have a kitchen." She sneered at his limp body on the ground, acting more cross than she really felt.

"Well you should think about getting one." The boy crossed his arms over his chest and pouted.

"Not likely." Huffing, she glanced around them. "How do you keep getting in here?" she finally asked.

Salamander smiled at her, pushing himself off the floor and dusting off his pants. "If I told you, you'd fix it so I wouldn't be able to sneak in any more."

"That's the basic idea; your constant trespassing is very bothersome."

Natsu blinked for a moment, and decided to change the subject to why he was actually there. Brandish didn't give him a chance to say anything more before she turned heel and walked away from him, moving to her living room. He followed, quietly watching as she sat on her sofa to put on her heels.

"Have you heard from them?" he asked. He didn't need to elaborate; he'd been coming to her place every week since he first found out Lucy had left the country. He was told it had something to do with mental and physical training, strengthening her body and soul so she could adequately feed the King his life force. He decided that was a crock of shit, but didn't press for more information. As long as she was alive and well was all that mattered to him.

When Lucy had found out Natsu was talking to Brandish, she decided to make the female vampire a middleman, sending letters and pictures to be delivered to Natsu. The vampire didn't appreciate being anyone's delivery girl, but the King thought it was a good idea. So here she was, sitting in her living room with the Salamander keeping her company just because she knew the whereabouts of his precious old partner.

To say she wasn't annoyed was a lie; and to say that annoyance _didn't_ annoy her more was also a lie. She'd never admit out loud that she'd come to expect his presence over the last few months, and if he wasn't bothering her, she felt - dare she say it - lonely. Salamander had a way of making her long and miserable vampire life seem...less miserable. He was always so happy - an emotion she never knew he could show before this whole fiasco, but apparently he was happy more often than not.

She shrugged. "Nothing's changed since two days ago. But believe me when I say that when she returns, the moment I know, you'll know."

"That's shockingly kind of you," he mumbled, too shocked to talk any louder.

"It's more of me just getting rid of a nuisance," she replied, smirking.

Glaring, he dropped unceremoniously onto the opposite side of the sofa. "First you starve me, then you insult me...one more strike from you and I may have to leave."

"Oh, well if I knew that was all…" She trailed off, and Natsu's mouth dropped in shock.

"And here I thought our friendship meant something."

"This isn't a friendship. If anything I feel more like a babysitter." She stood up and set an even gaze on him, placing her hands on her hips. "Unfortunately, I don't have time to _play_ today. I have a very important meeting to attend."

"Who are you meeting with?"

"It doesn't matter...you're not invited." She grabbed his arms and pulled him off the couch, moving slowly so she didn't accidentally throw him across the room.

"What are you going to talk about?" He let her move behind him and start pushing him to the door.

"Vampire things...not any of your concern."

"Well, it might be," he said, whipping his body around. He grabbed her arms, holding her tightly, though he knew it didn't hurt her. "I am a vampire hunter, and it is my duty to make sure the mortal world is safe from scheming vampires." His voice dropped, so he could talk in a hushed tone. He leaned forward and brought his mouth close to her ear. "You're not going to discuss anything illegal, right?"

She tried not to let him see that his closeness set her nerves on edge, for it was not as an unwelcome feeling as it probably should have been. Her senses were twice powerful than they normally were, having yet to feed since waking, and she could feel, not just his body, but a little energy just beneath the surface. He was warm, and she could faintly hear his heart beating, feel the thump-thumping on his palms, feel the blood rushing through his veins from where he held her. If there was a time she cursed not owning more conservative shirts, now would be it.

Taking a deep, calming breath, she grabbed his hands and pulled them off her, forcing him to move back. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw that his expression showed just how serious he was. The time for playful banter was over, and, as disappointed as she suddenly felt, she schooled her features to turn serious as well.

"If I was discussing something _illegal_ do you really think I'd tell you?" She tried to make her voice sound as inexpressive as her face, but it came out low and husky, not at all sounding as bored as she wanted to sound. She could feel her cheeks pink slightly, mortified that she would sound like that while talking to the Salamander.

His lips quirked up, clearly misreading how she wanted him to take it.

"If you won't tell me, I have every authority to hold you here, on account of suspicious activity." He leaned his face closer, and, though he was probably trying to sound and act threatening, she imagined closing the distance, pressing her lips against his in a fevered kiss that would quickly escalate to a bloody erotic scene.

Shaking her head, she abruptly let go of him, and took a step back, keeping her eyes from looking at him directly anymore. Damn her muddled, hungry brain creating images that were grotesque, appetising, and highly unlikely.

Salamander blinked as she moved away from him, unsure what caused her to suddenly look embarrassed and, almost, a little sad. He wondered if he might have gone a little too far, and rubbed the back of his neck, the tension so thick in the air suddenly that he could practically see it.

"I'm just messin' with you," he said quickly, trying to diffuse that tension. "I know you have a lot of actual work to do. I'm just bored since I haven't gotten any cases in the last few weeks." At her silence, he cleared his throat, feeling more and more awkward for reasons unknown, and opened the door. "Have fun at your meeting. I'll see you in a couple days."

She let him leave without saying anything. In her mind, however, she was yelling at herself to stop thinking about him like a delectable meal that she could have over and over if she really wanted. Besides, it wasn't as if those feelings were true or anything. She _still_ hated him, and he _still_ hated her; the only reason they tolerated each other was because of her contact with King Zeref.

That's it. The only contact they needed to have with each other was if she knew anything about his precious blonde devil. He didn't care about anything except that other woman's well being, and he was causing Brandy too much needless annoyance for her to continue their contact. She didn't owe him anything, and she definitely didn't owe Lucy anything; her king had never once asked her to _keep_ contact with the Salamander, so why did she put herself through it?

Angrily following Salamander out of her underground apartment -hoping she gave him enough time to disappear - she slammed her door shut, vowing she wouldn't talk to him again. They were _enemies_ , and she was going back to treating him as such.

She didn't know exactly when it happened, but as she ascended the stairs from her basement apartment and opened the door to her flower shop, she had lost Salamander's scent. All fine, though. The less of him that was around, the better.

Especially tonight.

She didn't need expensive security gadgets, or vampire powers that were more enhanced than most, to know something was amiss in her store. She lived under the flower shop, with the basement door leading to the main room, located just behind the sales counter. The moment she closed the door, she knew what was missing: Marin. Without looking too concerned, she scanned the front of the store, but all she could see were rows and rows of flowers.

She wondered if Marin and Salamander got into another fight - it wouldn't be the first, second, or third time - but for Marin to leave his post was unusual. She took a step closer to the counter, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling she got when the only sound was the clack of her heels on the floor, and placed a hand on the surface. It was cold, not quite unusual.

The door to her office opened, and she whirled around - trying but failed to look nonchalant about the whole thing - and she held an aggressive stance as her eyes fell upon a stranger vampire.

Her mind said stranger, while she knew he probably shouldn't be. He wore a long white coat, with a gold insignia of a crucifix on his left breast. His entire body was covered in white, from the high collar of his coat, to his gloves, and his leather shoes. His head was the only pale flesh showing, but even then it was miniscule while it was half covered with long blonde hair. His blue eyes narrowed at her, surveying her clothing choice.

She bowed slightly, showing the vampire respect, though she was his superior in the vampire line. He was a council member, and in the public eye, he was above all.

"You're late, Brandish," he said, turning on his heel and receding into her office.

She licked her lips as she watched his back, fighting against her own instinct to kill, and she followed, quietly closing the door behind her. So a council member was in her shop - not unexpected, he was the one she told Salamander she was meeting with - but that wouldn't explain Marin's absence.

At least he had the decency to sit in the guest's chair, leaving her high back leather chair for herself.

Without waiting for her to get settled, the vampire spoke.

"Arkade is visiting Makarov," he said. Brandy raised an eyebrow. This was news to her. She knew of Arkade, he was the second in command of the council, being one of the oldest vampires alive presently, but she had no idea why he was in town.

"Excuse me for backtracking," she said, leaning back in her chair. They were now behind closed doors, and she was, once again, in charge. Human politics meant nothing when discussing vampire matters. "I don't believe we've met before."

Taking a deep breath, clearly irritated for being interrupted and having the subject change on him, he nodded. "My apologies, Lady Brandish. My name is Rene, occupant of the fourth chair in the council. As I was saying, Arkade is visiting Makarov concerning the Princess, and he sent me to you."

"He told me of our meeting today, though he didn't say why."

The blonde vampire before her was fidgeting his fingers in his lap, either very annoyed, or very nervous. She couldn't decide which.

"You are one of the two elites whose location is currently known -"

"Just two? My, the council is lacking in recent years."

"For all we know, you could be the only two alive." He smiled, and she wondered if he was telling the truth or not. She talked smugly, but she didn't know the location of half the elites herself, and she could only say for sure that three of them are alive.

"So what did Arkade send you to discuss? As you know, I am one of the few elites who are publicly known. As such, I am a very busy woman, so if we could move this along…?" She clicked her fingernails on the wood of her desk, though she wasn't sure why she was showing him how irate she felt.

"I can only imagine, my lady." He nodded his apology, though he didn't look like he meant it. "Arkade sent me to ask you for information concerning our King and his whereabouts."

"What makes you think I know where he is?" She froze her actions, quickly slowing her body functions to look like she was made of stone. It could work on a mortal, but against another vampire, it was just a barrier to hide her emotions. While her mind ran a mile a minute, wondering what they could possibly want such fragile information like the location of their king.

"There was an unauthorized attack on a legal hive. When our knights arrived, the princess was already gone."

"What does finding her have to do with our king? She's been a nuisance for nearly ten years, and the council has done nothing. We've warned you high and mighty pretenders what she was capable of, and now it's come to fruition. I see no reason to blame anyone other than yourselves for not taking care of the matter."

"Arkade knows who she is, and he's doing everything in his power to keep her true identity a secret from the human council members. The moment they find out the king has risen, they'll send every vampire hunter, legal and rogue, to search for them, and end their lives. We tried to avoid this from happening when she was just a child, but because of Makarov, she's now a danger to us all."

"What does that old fool have to do with anything?" For all she knew, it was Makarov and his grandson's doing for creating the monster that is the blonde devil; but what did Makarov do when Lucy was a child?

Rene stood and paced the room, keeping silent for a long time. Brandy's curiosity was only growing with every irritating step he took, and just before she was about to snap, he stopped and placed a hand on the door leading back to the store.

"Everything I say must stay in this room, understand?" he said. "Only a few people outside the council know about this, and the only reason Arkade and myself know is because one of the humans let out the secret before his untimely…" He paused before looking back at her, a small smile tugging at his lips as he waved his hand around, looking like he was searching for the correct word. "Retirement."

"You have my word, Rene," she promised, though she would never hide anything important from her king. If what the council vampire had to say had anything to do with Lucy, she wouldn't hesitate to let her king know.

"Long ago, there was rogue vampire, intent on killing as many humans as he possibly could get his hands on. Unfortunately, hundreds of human lives were lost before he was finally caught and put to rest by none other than Fairy Tail."

"That's not exactly a secret, more of the Blonde Devil's origin story. Everyone knows about it."

"Yes, and his death was celebrated by both vampires and human alike." Rene sat back down, waving his hands in front of his face in mock celebration. "Celebrated by all but the council. Arkade and I were curious, for we were glad the rogue was finally brought to justice. Apparently, though, he died too soon. He wasn't just killing, he had an agenda, and was paid to do the job he was doing."

"Are you telling me he was hired to kill the girl?"

"Not just the girl, but every living angel descendant the council was aware of."

"How did he know who they were when we all thought the bloodline died with Mavis?"

"Before the king entered his last sleep, he entrusted Arkade and myself with a list of descendants. Someone stole it from us, which is why we didn't make the connection until just before the last target. We told Makarov to kill the rogue, and he did, but sooner than the others anticipated, though they were none the wiser of the girl's actual relation since it seemed the Heartfilias kept their daughter a secret."

Brandy narrowed her eyes, having quickly put the pieces together. It wasn't hard, especially with the information she already knew on the matter. What she couldn't think of, was why the council would kill hundreds of innocent people just to avoid one man from waking, even if that man had done more for vampire-human peace than any of those old bastards on the council ever did.

"In disobeying the council's orders to have the girl killed, the Dreyer family kept her alive and raised her with a hatred for vampires. Now that she's joined with the king, she's abusing her new powers to wipe us out."

The first thing Brandy wanted to do was laugh, but the serious expression Rene pinned her with kept her quiet. Before everything, she would agree with him, but after what she's heard from Salamander she doubted the blonde woman could do a thing like wipe out an entire race.

"The reason why I'm here telling you all this is because we need to know where they are."

Brandy shook her head, giving herself inner kudos for being so calm. "They contact me, not the other way around. I haven't heard a word for at least a week, and they never stay in one spot too long."

"Fair enough. The moment they contact you, you will send word to Arkade of their location. He just wants to know where they are, make sure they know how much trouble they're in and to tell them to lay low."

 _I doubt that_ , she thought to herself. On the outside, she nodded her consent, but had every intention on doing the opposite. Besides, she already promised first dibs to Salamander.

"I'll make sure to contact Arkade," she said with a smile covered in honey, but with a hive of bees waiting in the background for the perfect moment to strike. It was a good thing Rene didn't know her enough to know when she was lying.

* * *

AN: Thank you all for reading. And, yes, you guessed it, Natsu and Brandish have become a new favorite pairing of mine. What started as something fun for this story has actually turned into a thing (like Lucy and Zeref). You'll see more of them, not only in this story, but if I ever get around to typing out my many plot bunnies. Well, that's all for today. Don't forget to fave/follow if you haven't already and leave a review if you want to, and I'll see you again next week!


	15. Part 2 - Chapter 3

The house was quiet, she couldn't sense any being, human or vampire, in the immediate vicinity. Good, that meant she managed to eliminate each one, and she didn't feel slightly remorseful.

There had been rumors in the neighboring town of _children_ being abducted. That was one of the highest crimes _anyone_ , vampire and human alike, could commit. Sure enough, after some digging, she managed to follow a trail that led to this run down farmhouse, filled with vampires and their human servants. All were of lower level, all were easily taken care of. Unfortunately, she hadn't been fast enough to save the most recent child - a girl at the age of only five - from becoming a vampire's plaything.

She still couldn't get the image of the mangled child out of her mind, and she was contemplating setting the whole property on fire to cleanse the evil that probably still rested within.

The whole extermination was simple, she didn't have to use any special abilities; which was a blessing and a shame. She wanted to practice more, excited about her new summoning ability Zeref had taught her just a few weeks ago. She was still learning, so she was only able to summon one spirit, and not for very long, before running out of energy and collapsing.

With a self-satisfied sense of accomplishment, she holstered her gun and spun on her heel, careful to avoid stepping in any blood or gore as she made her way out of the living room. Avoiding looking at her surroundings - a servant and her vampire sat, both headless on the sofa to her right - she made for the front door, seemingly with a purpose. She grabbed the brass doorknob - again, ignoring the blood splatter on the door before her - and she opened it and stepped onto the porch.

She closed the door with a huge sigh, upset that she couldn't save the little girl, but proud that she, hopefully, prevented such atrocities from happening again. She wiped her face, hoping there was no evidence on her body from the massacre from inside, and as soon as her eyes were closed, she felt something grab her and shove her against the door hard.

Groaning, she moved to push the offender off her, but when she tried to call her power, she was pulled up then shoved back again, an angry yell accompanying the force.

"You _bitch_ ," the vampire growled, digging its nails into her arms as she was shoved around again. Lucy didn't have time to examine her attacker. Within a moment, she called her magic and tried to pull a summon from the celestial realm.

She never had done so without preparing herself beforehand, and when she couldn't feel an answer to her call, she wondered if it would work at all. Her attacker was only a low level vampire, hardly worth of her using any power against it, but she was starting to panic as it shifted and moved like it was getting ready to throw her across the yard.

She pushed against whatever barrier was blocking her from using so much magic at once, and as soon as the vampire turned and tossed her, she felt that wall break. Just before she hit the ground, she was caught by a pair of strong arms, and gently set down.

"Are you okay, Sweets?" her rescuer asked.

Already feeling the drain, she nodded, still holding onto her summon's shoulder. She looked up at him, surprised to see a spirit she had yet to summon during her training. He was tall, much taller than Zeref and Natsu. His orange hair had grown wildly, reminding her almost of a lion's mane. He wore sunglasses over his eyes, and she suspected it was more for looks than actual necessity.

He smiled down at her. "Well, aren't you the spitting image of my last master," he commented. "I take it big, bad vampire king is back in town, hm?"

Again, Lucy nodded, really unable to do much else. The man looked around them.

"I don't sense anyone other than Skippy over there," he said, nodding to the vampire who was now making its way across the field. "I'll make quick work of him and be gone faster than you can say, 'Leo, you're my hero!' I don't want you passing out from exhaustion."

Lucy smiled appreciatively, setting herself on the grass as she watched the summon appear in front of the vampire and send a burst of bright light its way. The creature cried out as it burned from the beam of light, it's skin roasting and blackening, before its body catching fire and quickly falling to the ground in a cloud of dust.

Lucy applauded from her spot on the ground as her summon made his way back to her. As soon as he stepped before her, he bowed.

"Leo at your service," he announced. "I do not believe we've met before."

"Lucy," the woman introduced as she tried to stand. As soon as she was up, the world tilted and she found herself falling, but Leo caught her.

"Not used to summoning, are you?" he asked.

"Actually, this is my third successful summon," she admitted. "Honestly, I was expecting Virgo to come through. I'm still new at this."

"I can tell. Let me poof back to my realm so you're not wasting anymore energy on me, Princess."

"Oh, no. I'm not-"

But he was gone before she could correct him. She hated that nickname. She was no one's princess, no matter what the vampire-kind thought.

Already she could slowly feel her energy coming back, but not fast enough. It was already pretty late, and she didn't want Zeref looking for her again. She took a few careful steps to test her equilibrium, and when she found that she wasn't so dizzy anymore, she relaxed and started making her way back to town at a normal pace.

She got a few feet before the reality of what happened hit her. She summoned a spirit, successfully, in the middle of a fight, and no guidance from her vampire, either. She felt her elation bubble up before exclaiming happily. Her little celebration was too much, however, that almost as soon as she cried out, the world tipped violently again, and she fell. With no one to help her this time, darkness quickly overtook her, and she barely registered her light stream of magic reaching out to a darker force that waited nearby.

Lucy groaned as she finally regained consciousness. Her body ached, feeling like she had just gotten run over by a train. She felt drained, her eyes blinking, trying to go back to sleep but knowing she should wake up. How long had she been asleep? It only felt like a couple minutes.

"I see you finally decided to wake," a cool voice greeted her. It took work, but she rolled her head to the side to look at who was talking to her, though she knew she should come to expect him by now. Even after a year, waking to the familiar face of her vampire was still alien to her.

Zeref sighed as he leaned over her, placing his hand on her forehead. "You still have a fever," he mumbled. "You used too much energy again. I warned you against it, Angel."

She wanted to push his hand away, but her arm ignored her command to move. The only reaction she could muster was a soft glare. She watched as he brought his wrist to his mouth, and she instinctively tried to move. Keeping his hand firmly against her forehead, he kept her still as he bit his skin, releasing a small trickle of warm blood.

She winced as a few drops escaped, splashing her cheek before he placed the wound against her lips. She wanted to refuse him, always fighting whenever he offered himself to her, but she was too weak and too starved for his energy that she opened up for him without much resistance.

Taking this as a personal victory, Zeref smiled and gently stroked her hair. The feel of her soul taking his energy was warm, comforting. He closed his eyes as she flicked her tongue against his skin. He didn't have any problem giving himself to her in this way, but he knew the pair of them wouldn't last long if he was the only one giving out his energy. He had yet to taste her since a year ago - just having her near seemed to be just enough - but he was getting restless.

There was so much more he could do as a leader, if she would just lend him her power. She was independent, he loved that, but the time for testing her limit was over. They needed to get back to Magnolia, he had business to attend to…

He pulled his wrist away, watching as a line of red fell down her cheek, seeking comfort in her hair, where it expanded, just a little, sticking her hair to her face. She regained enough energy to finally move, though she was still stiff, her limbs hesitant in the way she tested them.

Finally lifting her arm, she wiped the blood trail away, hating how she liked the way he stared at it, probably imagining it was her own. There weren't many things she liked to admit about this relationship she found herself thrust into, but she finally managed to stop shivering every time she thought about _that_ night a year ago. The ravenous look in his eerily red eyes as he rubbed the warm blood on her body turned her to mush the moment it happened.

She was getting frustrated again, thinking about it, and she couldn't fault him for forcing those memories into her mind. She had learned, long ago, that, while he can control her emotions when he felt the need for it, he could not force himself into her mind to control her the way a normal vampire would be able to. Likewise, she could control his emotions as well, but she refused to, thinking that in actually doing so he would be winning…

Winning what, she didn't know, but she refused to lose, whatever game she was playing by herself. Granted, she still felt like she _was_ losing.

Pushing herself up, she scooted away from him, keeping her eyes on the wall opposite their hotel room. He sighed as he watched her go.

"What are you doing?" he asked, sounding tired.

"I'm going to shower," she replied bluntly.

"That's not what I mean."

She stopped moving and glanced at him. She knew what he meant, but she didn't really have an answer for him. What _was_ she doing?

"We've played your game long enough," he said, moving around the bed to stand in front of her. She refused to meet his eyes, choosing to stare at his feet instead, like they were the most interesting feet in the world. "When you're fully rested, we're going back."

Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply. She knew that was coming. When they were first discussing this newfound bond between them, he had mentioned going out to visit some old friends, and she was taken with. She had learned, then, not to trust when he let her decide things. If she wanted something, he'd readily agree, but if it went against his plans, it was just empty words.

The longer they stayed away from Magnolia, the more she feared going back. At first, it was all she could think about, but now, after some time has passed, she feared what would happen if she returned in the condition she was in. Even though she was still human - maybe not as much as she used to be, but still _classified_ as human - her _soul_ was bound to this vampire before her. She needed his blood to keep her going, as he needed hers. No longer did she enjoy eating normal food, drinking her favorite beverages, feeling rested after a full night's rest.

What would the guild say when she finally told them the truth? Natsu already knew, she was told, and he still cared for her, the want to see her growing more and more each day. But how much could she really trust the word of a vampire who was once her biggest enemy? Zeref trusted Brandish with his life, but their history was so much different than what was shared between the women. Lucy and Brandish tried to kill each other more than once, and Lucy doubted the other vampire's opinion has changed just because of her new position as the King's servant.

In the end, Lucy didn't want to go home.

But when has this ever been about what she wanted?

Zeref grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "You've had your fun. I let you run wild, even though it hurt us both, but now it's time to act seriously."

The image of the dead child from earlier flashed through her mind. "You don't think I've been serious this whole time?" Her eyes narrowed into a glare, but he wasn't perturbed. "You think I like being dragged every which way, just so you can show me off to your friends? I've killed so many of your kind in the last year...more than my entire life. And you think this was _fun_ for me?"

"I thought you _were_ enjoying yourself," he whispered, leaning close to her. "My apologies, Angel. I thought you liked killing vampires. After all, it's your job, isn't it?"

"Killing vampires because they broke the law is different than killing vampires because they're there." She pushed him back so she had room to stand. He moved easily, allowing her to go into the bathroom to shower in peace.

After shutting the door, a little harder than intended, she leaned against the wood, taking deep breaths. Just that little amount of movement took so much of her newly regenerated energy, but she had to get away from him. Her resolve was wavering...He was right, but she'd rather burn in Hell before she openly admitted it to him. Call it a sense of pride, but after fighting for so long, she couldn't just allow him the victory.

For a year they've been travelling together, from vampire territory to territory, announcing his return and the possible uprising of vampire-kind. If the leader of that territory swore fealty to him, he let them live; if they refused him, he let her destroy them, and it turned into a bloody massacre like Tartaros, like the farmhouse. Naturally, though, he was nowhere near the hives she's decimated, though he probably shouldn't be too far anymore. She was starting to get too carried away, using her enhanced abilities, eating away at her energy until the point of collapse. He's had to save her three times, now, but, frighteningly enough, she didn't regret it at all.

She loved the feeling of his energy flowing through her, and she knew he loved hers, but that was as far as the love went. His personality could use a little improvement...There were times when she actually believed his love and care for his vampires, when he seemed genuinely concerned for their well-being. Then there were the moments when it was like he didn't give a damn about anything except himself, and even then it was questionable.

She hasn't had to use her powers against him yet, but she's seen enough of his anger to know that she might have to soon. He was good, but only towards her; there was an evil side to him, and if she couldn't kill him, then she'd have to swallow her pride and control him the way he is able to control her.

* * *

AN: Lucy, you're denial is so frustrating! That's okay, though, it makes things in the future more meaningful. *insert wink here* Thanks for the response last chapter, and I hope you enjoyed this one. I know, not much is happening yet, but things will start to pick up again next chapter. As always, thanks for reading, and don't forget to follow/fave if you haven't already. I'm hoping to stick with this amazing -update every Tuesday!- routine. So, I'll see everyone next week! Ciao!


	16. Part 2 - Chapter 4

He was there again...without fail, he was lounging on her couch. She glanced at her front door, still wondering how it was he was able to sneak in undetected, and sighed.

Hearing the sound, Natsu jumped up from his position of laying, surprised that he hadn't noticed Brandy entering. He was earlier than normal, but it wasn't a friendly meeting on his mind tonight.

She watched him stand, her hands on her hips, and ignored the way he looked her over. Her clothing was more casual than normal, settling for a t-shirt and jeans instead of her risqué outfit of a bikini and house coat.

Just as Natsu opened his mouth to speak, she cut him off; he was probably going to say something about her lack of food again anyway. "I'm glad you showed up, saves me the trouble of finding you myself." Clamping her mouth shut, she regretted saying that the moment she stopped speaking.

"You were going to look for me?" His eyebrows shot up, and she wished he wouldn't look so surprised, and hopeful. He stared at her, dumbfounded, his eyes never leaving her person as she sat on the sofa.

"I have a message for you," she mumbled, feeling more embarrassed the longer he stared at her.

"So, you were actually going to look for me to give me a message? Voluntarily?" His voice rose the longer he talked, increasing her embarrassment.

"Do you want to hear it or not?" She clenched her jaw and spoke through her teeth, regretting the decision of telling him at all.

"Of course!" He would never deny hearing a message from Brandy, because it usually meant she had news of Lucy. It had been awhile since he's heard anything, so he felt over the moon. He jumped back on her couch and stared at her expectantly.

The vampire regarded him for a moment. Had someone told her, a year ago, that this was how the Salamander normally acted, she wouldn't have believed it. For so long they had been enemies, and she thought he was just a cold hearted killing machine. Turns out he only acted that way on the job, and even then it was a rarity. She had to admit that she liked this version of him much better, but she'd never say it out loud.

"His Highness contacted me and said they'd be home within the month." She paused to gauge his reaction, and wasn't disappointed when she saw his eyes glitter and his jaw dropped. Before he could speak, however, she interrupted him, closing her eyes in a small act of looking smug. "I wasn't supposed to tell anyone, though, so you have to keep your mouth shut about it. We can't have news -"

She didn't know how she was unable to sense when he practically tackled her, grabbing her arms as he pushed her on her back. Her eyes opened wide and she prepared to defend herself, but he wasn't looking at her with aggressive intent. He was speaking to her, but she couldn't focus on his words, not when she became hyper aware of his close proximity - he was practically hovering over her - and his tight grip on her arms that would probably bruise if she had been a soft human. The strength he possessed in that moment rivaled that of a vampire. She knew he was strong, even compared to human standards.

He stopped talking and sat up, clearly aware that she had grown uncomfortable with him touching her and leaning over her. He let go and sat up, scratching the back of his neck anxiously. Brandy never thought he looked so cute as he did in that moment.

"S-sorry," he mumbled. "I didn't mean to pounce on you like that. Lucy told me that I had think before letting my excitement get the best of me."

"It's okay. I understand." Brandy cleared her throat as she sat back up, adjusting her shirt. She glanced at him sideways, vowing not to let her guard down to prevent being surprised like that again.

"This couldn't have come at a better time," the Hunter continued.

"Why is that?" Though she asked, she didn't really care - is what she told herself.

"It doesn't matter," he said, standing. "I don't think I've been this happy in a really long time."

She could tell, he hadn't stopped smiling since she told him.

"Well, sorry to have bothered you, but thank you for telling me." He moved toward the door, but before he could open it, Brandy stood and called to him.

"I need you to promise not to tell anyone." If word got out that the king was returning, and she failed to forward that message to the council like she promised, she knew there would be trouble. She still felt uneasy about the council's interest in the king and his blonde devil. While Rene had swore that it was only he and Arkade who were involved, she could tell there was something more going on.

Natsu backtracked, making his way back to where she stood.

"No one but me knows." He smiled, and placed his warm hands on her shoulders. "Thanks again, Brandy." He quickly pecked her cheek, and turned and left without another word, leaving the vampire alone with her new troubles, and a cheek that still tingled with the warmth of his lips.

Sighing, she fell back onto her couch, wishing they could go back to wanting to kill each other at the mere sight of each other. Things seemed less complicated then.

* * *

" _Angel_ …"

Lucy groaned, being pulled from sleep by a soft voice and gentle caresses on her neck and shoulder. It was small moments like this that she was able to forget all her reservations considering her relationship with the vampire king. When she was on that brink of sleep and wake, when he showed her comfort and gentleness, when she could honestly believe his love for her, and not only caring about her usefulness.

When she could pretend, for just that second that there was no rivalry between their races.

He placed his lips on her neck, giving her a soft kiss. He always woke her this way, acting like he _wasn't_ the most dangerous murderer in history, that his lips _didn't_ hide dangerous fangs, that his hands _couldn't_ crush her with the barest of efforts, and he _didn't_ have special powers over her. Sighing, Lucy could forget all that, and only feel the man that he was.

Keeping her eyes closed, not wanting to break the spell by looking into his demonic eyes, she turned to him, letting him gently kiss her on her lips. This was nice, this was what she had always wanted for herself had she ever found that perfect man.

However, he broke the spell by trying to take it further. His tongue darted out and gently rubbed against her lips, and she knew what it was that he really wanted from her. His hand was gently placed on her throat, his fingers ghosting over her pulse. She opened her eyes and tried to meld herself into her pillow, pulling as far back as she could. Sensing her sudden coldness, he opened his glowing red eyes and rose off her, but kept his body caging her on the bed.

"Sleep well?" Zeref asked, speaking in a whisper, a soft smile on his lips. Lucy narrowed her eyes, immediately distrusting his soothing demeanor. He'd started becoming more physical with her in last couple days, but she was able to keep it at bay mostly allowing only quick touches to her shoulders or back. This was the most he's done so far, and she liked it so much she had to put her guard up.

"As well as I could knowing you're in the same room," she answered, her eyes darting around the hotel room that had been her home for the last week.

He smiled in response, and brought his face down to nuzzle her neck, almost lovingly. She tensed, clenching her fists. He had done so well keeping his promise not to take blood from her, but she suspected his want growing with his need to touch her. He'd been acting clingy since he first mentioned them returning to Magnolia, and she had to wonder if he expected her to allow him to feed from her out of gratitude or if there was another unspoken need. Granted, she had started to feel guilty denying him the only substance he really desired. She wondered if he could survive feeding off normal humans like a regular vampire, but then she remembered that he was the king, only living off angel's blood ever since he became what he was. He woke up from a deep sleep because of her, and she was standing by her decision, stubbornly, no matter how much she wanted to feel him take from her again.

Of course she never actually _wanted_ him to take from her at all.

"We're about a day away from Magnolia," he continued in a whisper, his breath hitting the sensitive spot just below her ear, causing her to shiver. "You must be ecstatic." The last time he was so close to her neck was when she voluntarily allowed him to drink from her - evidently sealing her fate to be with him for an unspecified amount of time - and it was almost like her body hadn't forgotten, though the mark had long since healed.

She grabbed his shoulders, suddenly unsure if she wanted to push him away or pull him closer. She hadn't forgotten the feeling of belonging with him like she had whenever she did succumb to him, but she refused to let herself feel that again. Those couple times she allowed him to do as he pleased with her - bedding her and drinking her blood- had filled her with such a sense of peace that she hadn't really ever felt before...it felt _amazing_. And yet, she refused to let herself feel that again.

Her mind flashed back to when they destroyed Tartaros, the first time she was given his power to do so. She had never felt as good as she felt then, not even when she'd taken on all those vampire hives herself over the year. She knew, deep down, that it was because he had been there with her. She wasn't naive enough to deny the connection they had was almost euphoric as she crushed Mard Geer's heart, but she was stubbornly denying that feeling again. She had resulted back to her old Hunter ways when she took down those vampire hives, for she knew the moment she allowed herself the pleasure of accepting Zeref into her body again, it would be almost impossible to force him out. Though she thought that, it still didn't stop her from allowing him to replenish her energy by giving her a little of his blood. Even when she had no intention of using his power again, that little bit made her body feel almost invincible.

She could get addicted so fast, and she would never have seen it coming.

This, now, had to stop. Clenching her eyes tightly, she pushed against his shoulders, surprised but grateful that he let her. He sat up, but remained straddling her waist. Grabbing her hands, he brought her wrists to his mouth.

"I think I've been fairly generous this past year," he started. She tried to pull her hands back, but his grasp was tight. Fear was slowly making itself known as she stared at his glowing eyes. "I give, and give, and give to you everything I have in my power, and I never ask for anything in return. I've allowed my body to almost deteriorate by settling for mediocre human blood. It sustains me, keeps _us_ alive, but only barely. I don't rest for fear of not waking up again. Why do I put myself through such torture, you ask?"

She didn't ask, but she knew the answer. He leaned down again, causing their noses to almost touch.

"For you, angel," he whispered. "I've done all this because I don't want you to hate me. This is troubling to me. I've never cared before. So why am I suddenly putting a mere human like you before my own needs? Can you answer me this?"

Biting her lip, Lucy refused his question. She didn't know why, and she really didn't care. She took advantage of his generosity, and had assumed he was like that with all his other angels.

"I'm going to take," he continued, holding her down as she began to fight. "We will be back in Magnolia soon and I must be in top condition to control those vampires. If I show a sliver of weakness they'll pounce on us faster than I can blink."

"You're their king. They would never-"

"Those parasites would put a stake in my back the moment they realize they can. They fear me because of my power; take that power away and there would be no hesitation."

"Why would they after trying so hard to wake you in the first place?" She was stalling, she knew this, and by the slight raise of his eyebrow he knew it as well.

"It's the same every time I wake. My enemies outnumber my allies, but I'm too powerful for them to go against me. Unless I'm weakened by my angel. I can't protect myself, my followers, or you if you don't help me."

She knew he was lying. He didn't care about anyone but himself. The only reason he claimed to want to protect her was because if she died, then so did he. Especially since, as far as she was told, she was the last angel descendant.

"I have a proposition for you," he said, sitting up again. Lucy narrowed her eyes at him, especially since he still held her hands tightly, no matter how hard she tried to retrieve them. "I'm going to start feeding from you, that's certain. The rest is up to you. I can let you walk free, live free as I had originally promised, but you have to willingly let me feed from you whenever I call upon you. That means that whether I summon you or show up at your doorstep you offer yourself to me. I don't care if you're happy about it or not, that's the condition."

"Are you crazy?"

"Or I keep you prisoner in that lovely room you liked so much back at my home, and I still take from you. The choice is yours."

It wasn't exactly a choice she would want to make. Either way she'd feel like she was his prisoner, constantly being at his beck and call. At least with the first choice she would be out of that miserable house. But, at the same time, she feared how she would be welcomed at Fairy Tail. She knew. They still cared, but what about the others? How could she walk around knowing her friends probably felt betrayed. Would they welcome her with open arms, but resent her in secret? Sure, she didn't have a choice, but it would be hard for most of them to accept someone who was tied to a vampire. Almost everyone in Fairy Tail had lost a loved one because of vampires, or suffered some sort of heartbreak or hardship, and she didn't expect them to automatically be okay just because it was her who was bound to a vampire.

And not just any vampire either.

But then, if she was stuck in that room again, she'd probably go insane. She didn't have to go back to Fairy Tail if she walked free.

Closing her eyes to block out the inevitable, not wanting to see Zeref's reaction, she nodded her head slightly.

"The first," she whispered, unable to speak any louder. He heard her, she knew he did, because without another second's hesitation he latched onto her neck, immediately taking from her what she had denied him for so long.

The second her blood touched his tongue, he moaned deliciously, like he was tasting the most exquisite cuisine. His body slowly lowered until he was nearly crushing her with his dead weight, one hand behind her neck, the other digging his fingers into her hip.

Lucy hated it. Well, she hated that she _didn't_ hate it. The moment he made a noise, a sense of pride swelled in her heart, and she had a moment of peace, glad to be able to make him so happy. The moment she was aware of it, she realized she was about to bring her arms up to wrap around him. She clenched her fists and held them down on the bed.

It was only a matter of time before he let loose his shadow magic. She had nearly forgotten the dark energy that had pulled her to him in the first place. Normally she'd be terrified of it, but the feeling of it softly wrapping around her was actually soothing; she never felt more safe, more like this was where she was meant to be all along, with him.

Her own magic answered, and, while she still refused to touch him with her hands, the light wrapped itself around his torso, kneaded itself in his hair, probably making him feel the same amount of love and security his magic did to her. If it felt like this all the time, she wondered, it's no mystery why the angels before her longed for this vampire, and he longed for them. Their fates seemed doomed on paper, but the reality of it was that whatever bond God forced upon Zeref and the original angel was more out of love than hate.

For how could two beings keep each other alive for so long if they _truly_ hated one another?

And that made her think.

But before long, she had noticed that he was no longer feasting from her neck, but was placing gentle kisses on her lips, and she returning them. She hadn't remembered when this happened, but she welcomed it all the same. Even the realization that he still had her blood on his lips didn't deter her. She remembered he loved the sight of blood on her pale flesh, and that excited her.

Without thinking, she brought her hand to his mouth, wiping the still wet blood off his lips. His eyebrows furrowed, dreading that she was stopping him. He moved to push off her, but his eyes followed the path of her bloodied fingers, drawing light red patterns on her collarbone. He could feel his eyes begin to glow and his energy was reaching for her as he watched.

Before he knew it, his instincts took over, and his mouth was on her skin, sucking at the blood, lapping up the sweetness that was her life force. It had been _so_ _long_ since he's tasted her, and he almost bit into her again, but the feel of her fingers suddenly pulling at his hair stopped him.

Glancing up, he could see she was about as lost as he was, their energies coiling together like they had the first time she opened up to him, the darkness and light colliding together to create a comforting warmth that neither had ever felt before. His usually cold body was heating up quickly, and he couldn't touch her enough. He needed to feel her skin, and she happily obliged, both of them undressing, not fast enough.

As soon as she was bare, he was running his hands up and down her body, loving the silky feel, and her toned muscles. Again his mouth was on her body, not wasting any more time on accepting how visually pleasing she was, and concentrated on her taste, and the noises she made with each press of his lips, lick of his tongue, grab of his fingers.

They came together like two thirsty people lost in the desert, and the other was their oasis. She couldn't hold him tight enough, and he couldn't get close enough. When he entered her, their energies clashed. Before, it was like the magics were involved in an elegant waltz, gliding and moving together. As if they could see their respective energies, the moment they were joined the darkness and light merged, creating a burst of light, consuming their bodies as they moved together, working towards their release.

Lucy wrapped her arms around his shoulders, crying out as she was filled with a myriad of emotions, ranging from anticipation to elation to anxiety. Already she could feel their bond growing stronger, and she didn't hate it. She ran her fingers through his hair as he looked down at her, his eyes glowing with an emotion she would have been terrified to see any other day. This moment, however, as he silently communicated devotion and possession, she was suddenly hit with guilt, and she felt her own eyes fill with unshed tears, and she pulled him down to give him the most apologetic kiss she could.

At the sight of her tears, Zeref blinked and slowed his pace, allowing her to pull him down. He placed his hands on her cheeks, confused why she was suddenly crying while kissing him.

"What's wrong, Love?" He breathed, his lips still touching her own. She hiccuped as the tears escaped, and she shook her head.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. He pulled up and furrowed his eyebrows with concern. He used his thumbs to wipe her tears, and pulled them up, holding her against his chest. She placed her forehead against his as he rubbed his hands up and down her back.

"For what?" He adjusted them so she was sitting comfortably on his lap, him still inside her, but without the need to move. Just being connected to her like this was enough of a comfort to him.

Lucy rested her mouth on his shoulder, looking around at the mangy hotel room that they shared. His body was warm, almost feverishly so, but she knew that was because of her blood. Already she could see the color of his skin darkening to a more healthier hue, other than the sickly pale he had been for awhile.

"I hated you," she whispered. "I resented you for taking me away from my family, and I still do. Except taking me from that park you have done nothing but kindness for me. You've taught me so much, cared for me, and I treat you like you're the scum of the Earth." She pulled back to look into his eyes once more, in awe of the glow that she doubted she would ever get used to. "Just because you're a vampire. You treat me like nothing less than a gentleman, but I can't see past your fangs."

The corner of Zeref's lips quirked in a little smirk as he pressed gentle kisses on her shoulder. It wasn't that he was amused by her confessions, rather he was more than pleased that she, seemingly, was finally opening up and accepting him. He placed his hand on the back of her head, holding her comfortingly against his shoulder.

"Lucy," he whispered, cutting her off. He felt her tense, clearly aware that he had called her by name, something he hadn't done _ever_. "Everything I've done, I've done for you. Do you really think I expected you to accept your duties right away?" He pulled back and wiped her cheeks again, his smirk growing at the sight of her widened eyes and shocked expression. "It took Mavis almost fifty years to accept me, and she wasn't raised in your environment. She knew what was to be expected of her, and yet she still fought me tooth and nail until we finally came to terms with one another, and she was possibly the best angel I had by my side."

"Mavis?" Lucy blinked and glanced around them. She had forgotten that bit of information, that one of the founders of Fairy Tail was bound to this vampire. It still boggled her mind, why a girl like Mavis, who seemed to be deeply in _love_ with this creature - from what she read - helped create a Hunter guild. The book didn't go into details, and, unless the girl was standing there herself, no one would know what was going through the girl's mind, or how she felt throughout her life.

"Now, relax, Angel," Zeref whispered, grabbing her and gently lowering her back to the bed.

"One more question," she said, once again waiting to get lost in his eyes. He raised an eyebrow, urging her to continue. "Is this going to happen every time you take blood from me?"

"Honestly?" He dipped down and lived at her collarbone, lapping up any left over blood smear from her skin, effectively getting them both ready to continue. "There's something different about you," he confessed. "I've never felt this way about any of my angels in the past. I've never cared about keeping them with me at all times, protecting them, yet feeling a strong sense of pride when I watched them use my power to overcome their demons. Your blood makes me feel stronger than I've felt in a really long time, and I don't want to let you out of my sight for an instant, but out of fear of you continuing to resent me, I let you go on your own way, as much as I can handle. If I didn't care so much about what you thought of me, I'd lock you in that room for all time just so I know where you were at all the time."

She wasn't sure if that was a love confession, but, had it been from anyone else, it could have been. She had never had anyone admit those things to her, not even Natsu and she knew he loved her more than anything - the feeling was mutual. She should have been angry at his admitting to want to keep her locked up, but knowing how hard it was for him to let her walk freely made her more compassionate than anything.

She grabbed the sides of his head and brought him up to her lips, placing gentle kisses on his mouth, silently allowing him to continue. No more words need be spoken between them in this moment, which seemed more intimate now that they both confessed their feelings about this her legs around his hips, she pushed him back and spun them around so he lay on his back, and she was in control. As soon as she started moving, she didn't care of the consequences of having him feed from her; in fact, in that moment, all she wanted was to make him feel good, make him not regret the all the frustration he endured during their year together.

She didn't lie when she said she was guilty, she was grateful for him and his patience with her, for everything he taught her.

Soon, though, everything was wiped from from her mind, and she could forget, for the time being, all about her anxieties and fears about returning to Magnolia, about what her life was quickly becoming, and who she was quickly becoming. In that moment, it was just the two of them, and she didn't want it any other way. Did she love him? Maybe, but she couldn't tell if it was him manipulating her, or if she was just touched by his words. What she felt was definitely different than what she felt for Natsu, or the rest of her family in Fairy Tail.

Maybe it wasn't love, but it was definitely acceptance, and she found she couldn't wait to show off their powers over all vampire kind.

* * *

AN: So, let me apologize first and foremost for any errors. Just barely made it! This update almost didn't happen, but I promised on Tuesday, and here it is. Again, thanks for reading, and I'll see you guys next week.


	17. Part 2 - Chapter 5

Natsu was on a stroll. He couldn't remember the last time he was this content, but he knew it could only get better. Just the previous night Brandy gave him the news of his best friend returning, and he couldn't stop the wide smile on his face. He had actually sought the female vampire out previously to have her send a message to Lucy, informing the blonde of her adopted brother's return, but now Lucy can find out for herself. It had been a long time since Laxus was at Fairy Tail, and he knew Lucy and Master missed him the most.

Both blonde devils of Fairy Tail were returning home, and Natsu couldn't keep his excitement down. It was always a big deal when someone came back from a mission or vacation anyway, but he could only imagine the uproar that Laxus and Lucy would bring.

And to top it all off, it was the annual Fantasia celebration, the anniversary of Fairy Tails inception. It was one of the only nights in the year that humans and vampires set aside their hate for one another and had one big party throughout town, at least that's the idea. Truthfully, it was only hunters and civilians celebrating and the vampires kept to themselves.

It used to be Lucy's favorite holiday, and Natsu couldn't imagine her missing it this year. After everything that happened, he felt Lucy needed to let loose and relax for a night, forget about her predicament.

Yes, Natsu was in high spirits, and nothing was going to bring him down. Not even the sudden appearance of a vampire a few yards in front of him. Instead of going on his guard, Natsu stopped and waved, immediately knowing who interrupted his walk.

"Salamander," the creature growled, taking a step forward. "Where do you think you're off to in such a good mood?"

"Marin, buddy, try as you might, but even your ugly mug won't ruin this amazing evening."

The vampire growled again, stalking his way closer to Natsu, but the human was undeterred. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, a cocky smirk on his features. He wasn't one to start random brawls on the street, but it had been a long time since he was in a fight, and this one looked like it wanted to fight.

"I've come to warn you, stupid human," it continued to growl. It was actions like this that Natsu was unable to distinguish between vampires and animals. In his mind, he could see a rabid dog foaming at the mouth, and he waved off the statement.

"Spare me."

"Trust me. I'm doing you a favor."

"Alright, I'll bite. Warn me about what?" Natsu was making a mental note about his weapons he had on him. Marin was getting a little too close for comfort, but Natsu remained laid back but aware.

The vampire cackled. Natsu hated this one on a normal day, but it was acting strange tonight. Normally they would trade a few verbal insults when Natsu visited Brandy, but it was harmless banter - at least to Natsu it was anyway. Maybe Marin took everything more seriously. Vampires were known to be literal bastards.

"All I can say is there's a party waiting for our princess, but it ain't no welcoming party."

Immediately Natsu drew his gun and pointed it to the vampire's forehead, all pretense of being amiable gone. He knew it meant Lucy; Brandy had mentioned the vampires started calling his friend their princess, which he originally thought was amusing, and he could only imagine how frustrated it made Lucy to be labeled as such.

The vampire laughed again as he regarded the gun currently aimed in its direction.

"What are you gonna do, kid? Shoot an innocent vampire in the middle of the street? Add to Fairy Tail's reputation of being shady and breaking the law?" It held its arms out, as if daring Natsu to take the shot.

"I have half a mind to shoot, but it would be validated by my family's life being threatened. What do you know about Lucy?" While the vampire's attention was on the weapon being shown, Natsu was able to slowly reach into his pocket to grab for his favorite weapon. He didn't like Marin, and if the bastard was going to give him an opening, Natsu would happily take it.

"Only that she's been causing trouble for both sides, and no one is too happy about it."

"Well your party will be waiting for a long time. I was told they weren't ready to come back yet." This was a lie, but he did promise Brandy he wouldn't say anything. Granted, this vampire was her underling, so he might know about Lucy coming home soon, but he didn't want to take that chance.

The vampire didn't stop laughing, almost as if it felt like it knew all the secrets and held all the cards.

"Didn't you know?" It faked innocence. "They were spotted just outside of Clover not two days ago."

Clover was only a day away by train, a little longer by car. Natsu's insides fluttered when he realized she could be in Magnolia this moment, but he schooled his features to not display any of his feelings.

"Looks like she doesn't consider you family anymore if she hasn't even told you she was back in town."

"I'm sure she has her reasons."

Probably the same reasons why Brandy didn't want him telling anyone. He hoped Lucy's life wasn't really in any danger, but with the way Marin was acting, Natsu couldn't help but wonder. He had no doubt she could take care of herself, but she's been gone for more than a year; he didn't know if she was stronger, the same, or if she somehow wasn't as strong as she used to be - he refused to use the term "weak."

"Does Brandish know what you're telling me?"

"Nothing is hidden from my lady. She was met with a very important figure not too long ago about it."

Natsu ground his teeth. Was this the meeting she mentioned a while back? It probably wasn't as bad as the vampire was making it out to be - she would let him know, he was sure, despite her reluctance and saying it was just vampire business. He wasn't too proud to admit that they had become something close to friends. He knew he was getting on her nerves - he wasn't totally oblivious - but he also knew she didn't mind it as much as she let on - all bark and no bite.

"If I were you, Salamander," the vampire continued, all traces of humor gone as it finally closed the distance between the two, "I'd run back to that hovel you call a guild, and let things play out like they're supposed to."

"That's the thing. You're not me, and I never play it safe."

Without another warning, Natsu took out his fire starter, and set the vampire's coat a flame. It didn't take long for the vampire to start screaming as the heat quickly penetrated to its skin, and it quickly tore its coat off, the flames burning its flesh on its arms as it threw the coat to ground.

Natsu raised both fire starter and gun, pointing both at the vampire, but the creature just growled and whimpered as it stepped away, holding its arms close to its chest.

"You'll pay for this, Hunter," it snapped. "Right after we take care of that woman, I'll make sure you're next."

"You won't touch a hair on Lucy's head," Natsu demanded, but Marin had disappeared. Lowering his weapons, Natsu glanced around, keeping his guard up in case the vampire planned a surprise attack.

Natsu was confused. Didn't they know what Lucy was to the king? He remembered Brandy explaining that, now that the two were bonded, they lived for each other. If what Marin was implying was correct, it sounded like someone wanted Lucy dead, but that would also mean the death of Zeref. Surly they didn't raise their king just to kill him?

"Natsu!"

Natsu jumped and swung his gun around, pointing at the disturber of the silence. He had still been on his guard, wait but he sighed when he saw it was his guild mate, Gray, who had his hands up the moment he noticed the gun pointed at him.

The other man was panting, as if he had been running for awhile, his button up shirt open - an improvement to his usual bare chest.

"The hell, Gray?" Natsu grumbled as he put his weapons down, replacing the fire starter on his belt. He continued to glance around, still not trusting they were alone.

"Hey, I'm not the one who had you at gunpoint, dumbass."

Instead of answering, Natsu grunted, kicking Marin's discarded jacket around.

"You need to come back to the guild," Gray said, raising a brow at the piece of clothing, wondering what he missed. "Master wants everyone inside."

"What's happened?" Natsu's mind conjured an image that matched Marin's warning.

"I don't know. He's being cryptic."

Rolling his eyes, Natsu acquiesced, hiding his gun in his own jacket and following Gray back the way they came.

AN: Sorry for the late (and short) update, but I haven't finished the second half of this chapter yet and I figured you guys wanted an update. I've been working on a Christmas one-shot (hopefully, I've been known to make my one-shots too long that end up into chapter stories, hence why I have so many I'm working on that you don't know about!). I'm hoping to have that one plus the second half of this chapter up next week. I have it all planned out till the end, and I'm gettimg excited that things are about to go down!

(assuming I'm not too worn out from my job and baby and other kids and getting things ready for the holidays.) thanks for reading, and following/faving and reviewing.


	18. Part 2 - Chapter 6

Lucy bit her lip as she stared up at the building. Her anxiety had grown to astronomical heights, afraid of facing everyone again. For the last two days she hid in the shadows, watching inconspicuously as everyone in town set up for Fantasia. She missed it last year - wasn't even thinking about it, honestly. She even stopped by her old apartment, but when she saw how little it changed - like she had never left - her heart swelled and she could feel herself wanting to cry.

In the end, she decided she wasn't ready to meet everyone yet, and compromised meeting with only the master. Her next dilemma was figuring out how to get inside without anyone noticing.

After hiding in the trees nearby for an hour or so, Lucy decided the best way was to climb to the second story where she knew hardly anyone went. In all her years of being a part of Fairy Tail, she doubted she had ever been on the second story herself. For awhile it was only reserved for the more powerful hunters, but after an incident -that had absolutely nothing to do with her - Makarov decided to open it for everyone, but with limited access. She still didn't know what was up there. Now could be the perfect time to find out, but one thing at a time.

Lucy snuck around the back and found a conveniently placed ivy vine fence that stretched to the second floor, where a balcony sat. It looked almost too perfect, and she had to wonder as she began her ascent, if someone placed it there just for the purpose of sneaking in and out. It would explain how Natsu got in undetected all those years ago after he was dared to steal a job posting. Again, technically Lucy had nothing to do with - she said something about how the members who had access for a reason, and that they, being only the age of eleven, weren't strong enough to even dream about taking on those jobs. Needless to say, Natsu took that as a challenge. The next time Lucy saw him, he was being held by the scruff of his neck by Makarov, looking sheepish and he had thrown Lucy under the bus. They were grounded for two weeks because of that.

Lucy chuckled as she grabbed the plant and started climbing. About five feet up, she realized that climbing was probably a bad idea. While she knew she could make it, the physical activity itself wasn't a problem especially after she and Zeref had been sharing blood regularly, but the wood she was climbing had aged, and it was creaking like it was about to crumble under her weight. Just as she thought that, the branch she set her foot on broke, and she lost her balance. With nothing but a shriek she fell, though she wasn't very high up to start with, she really wasn't worried about the fall itself.

But when she realized she hadn't fallen to the ground, she blinked and looked around. She had been caught by a pair of strong, muscular arms, and she knew immediately who had caught her. Her anxiety returned.

"I thought you were too much of a good girl to try to sneak in," a deep voice sounded behind her, as he set her down. Lucy's knees were still shaking as she slowly set her feet on the ground, and couldn't trust herself not to fall over, so as she turned to face her rescuer, she clutched so tightly to his arms that she was sure her nails were going to draw blood.

Towering over her was one of the people she didn't want to see, just for the fact that she felt she had failed him the most. Laxus stood looking down at her, his mouth quirked slightly in amusement, his blond hair shaggier than she's seen in a long time. Now that she noticed his hair, all thoughts escaped her except, He needs a haircut.

He raised a brow at her she continued to stare at him, her reaction not what he was expecting. Her eyebrows were furrowed, her body was tense, she had a frown on her face. She still hadn't let go of him.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

Sniffing, Lucy reached up, having to raise on her tippy toes, and played with the hair that had fallen in front of his eyes.

"You need a haircut," She croaked, sounding like she was about to cry.

Laxus chuckled and ruffled his hair, effectively swatting her hand away as well. "Yeah, I imagine so. Now, why were you trying to sneak in?"

He knew, he had to. And, whether he did or didn't, Lucy convinced herself that Makarov had to have told him.

"I just can't face everyone yet," she answered, looking down at the ground as she felt her eyes well up. She knew it was going to be hard to face him - he was the one who rescued her in the first place - but she never imagined she'd feel this guilty. She fought for so long, and now, with the thoughts of her and Zeref together just that morning had her heart aching as her older brother drew her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her her.

"What happened wasn't your fault," he whispered. "You couldn't control it. No one is going to blame you for that."

While she knew he was right, his words made her feel guilty for another reason now. She had accepted Zeref, may even feel something more than just the casual feelings a servant felt for their master, but Laxus didn't know that. None of Fairy Tail did. For all she knew, they probably pitied her for her predicament, but were understanding of that because everything happened out of her control. Did they believe she was still herself? What if it was expected of her to assassinate the king, since she was now always with him, and that was kind of her job?

She wasn't going to kill Zeref, even if she didn't know that killing him would kill her. What would that accomplish, in the end? Besides, she already knew he wouldn't die, no matter what she did, so why bother?

Lucy bit her lip and another wave of guilt hit her when she realized nothing really prompted her to think about killing him.

"You're safe, kid, and that's all that matters to us," Laxus said, breaking through her thoughts. "Everyone will be happy to see you."

Lucy sighed, unable to ignore the tightening in her stomach as she, again thought of the reactions of her fellow guild mates. She grabbed Laxus, knowing that if he hadn't been the one to approach her, she'd chicken out just the same.

"I'm not ready," she whispered. "I just wanted to see Master, but I didn't know you were back in town."

"Okay." She felt his massive chest rise and fall as he breathed deeply, and she closed her eyes, being brought back to her childhood when she refused to leave this man's side. "How about this…" He pulled back and smiled down at her. "You buy me a drink in town, and we'll catch up. Afterward, we can decide whether or not to come back, okay?"

Nodding, Lucy accepted. She allowed him to put his arm around her shoulders and lead her away from the guild, hiding her under his massive coat so if anyone recognized him, they wouldn't see her. It was cold out, so they didn't think anyone would be out for a leisure stroll. They were almost at the end of the line pathway, feeling free and relieved no one stopped them, until two figures were making their way towards them. Laxus cleared his throat, closing his coat.

"Don't tell me Master sent you out here to escort us back? I told him I was perfectly capable of finding this dumbass on my own."

Lucy hopped up and latched herself around his legs, causing Laxus to misstep. He skipped once and regained his balance, but it was enough for the the two tow notice. Lucy hadn't seen who was coming up on them, but she could recognize Gray's voice anywhere, since they had once even been on a team for awhile.

"You already drunk?" The raven haired man said, talking about Laxus's trip.

"No, I just tripped on a rock." Laxus mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest, inwardly impressed that Lucy now had the body strength to hold onto him without his help. "I just need to take care of something, and I'll be back."

"But Gray said that everyone was supposed to be at the guild," the second voice said, accusingly.

Lucy bit her lip and forced herself not to peek through the jacket covering her. She knew she missed Natsu, but hearing him speak for the first time in a year was beautiful torture. The last time she saw him, they had fought, and now, more than ever, she wished his body was the one she was clinging to. She could just imagine his pouting expression that accompanied his last statement, his oddly pink hair mussed and wild because he refuses to brush it daily.

He didn't sound any different than when she saw him last, but she knew they both had changed, at least a little, since she left. If Gray wasn't there, Lucy wondered if she would be strong enough to avoid seeing Natsu.

"I've already talked to Gramps about what he needs you there for," Laxus said, slowly continuing on his way, not wanting to let Lucy's form accidentally slip and make the boys see her. "I'm running a quick errand and I'll be back."

Natsu huffed as he let Gray grab him and drag him off. Both men knew Natsu would rather be out, possibly still looking for clues about Lucy - they didn't know he was talking with Brandish about it - so Laxus and Gray didn't say anything as they both resumed their journeys.

As soon as Laxus was out of sight of the guild, he opened his coat and blinked down at the blonde adult clinging to his waist like a monkey. Honestly, he was impressed she could hold on without looking tired or seeming to have issues at all. Must be a side effect of her new predicament, which made him sober suddenly.

With how she was reacting to him and the other boys, he imagined she really needed a friend to vent to, and he planned to let her. He wanted her side of the story, especially after what he was told from his grandfather and Natsu the last few days he's been in town. He was furious, no question about that, but he learned a long time ago not to jump to conclusions when she was concerned. So he held his fury back until she clarified a few things to him.

He still wanted to pinch that prick who stole his sister. It wasn't a hunter urge, more like the duty of a big brother. He'd roughed up any of Lucy's past boyfriends- Natsu included - and just because this new one was the king of the vampires was no different. There was a male out there who felt he held claim to Lucy, and Laxus was going to bring him down a notch.

"Did he seem awkward to you?" Natsu questioned his walking partner, glancing behind to watch Laxus round a corner and disappear.

"Probably wanted to get as far away from you as fast as he can," Gary commented. "Probably tired of you constantly challenging him all the damn time." He flinched as Natsu punched his arm. Gray bit his lip as he reeled his arm back to return the favor when Natsu suddenly stopped.

Everything in Natsu vision blurred around a single person standing in front of the guild doors. She wasn't looking at them, instead she was staring at the doors, her arms bent to her front as it looked like she twiddled her fingers. Her hair was pulled in a ponytail, something he hadn't seen her do since she was probably sixteen. Well, it's been awhile, she could have decided to start wearing it like that.

Gray stopped as well, but he wasn't thrown into a stupor as Natsu was. He smiled as he elbowed the frozen man next to him and fast walked up to the woman in front of the door. Natsu blinked as he watched Gray scare the poor woman as he threw his arm over her shoulders, pulling her into a tight hug.

Something cramped slightly in Natsu's stomach as he watched her smile and hug the other man back. She turned to him and, for a moment, felt blinded by the beauty that was her smiling face. Her brown eyes glittered as she quickly made her way to him. The blindness lasted a moment as she threw herself on him, holding him tightly against her.

"Natsu!" She cried. "I missed you so much."

Feeling awkward - and irritated that he felt that way - he wrapped his arms around her middle and hugged her back, forcing his excitement out; because, of f she was here now, that's how he was supposed to feel, right?

"Lucy," he whispered, "Welcome home."

It was all he could do, because while she was standing right in front of him, she felt as if she was someone else.

AN: wait, what?! I know, crazy, right? So I wish I could say I've been busy with work/holidays/important stuff...but there's no excuse this time. I've been a lazy butthead. Honestly, I'd rather read fics than type up my own (is how I've been feeling. Let someone else do all the work!) I've been trying though. Ive also got another Zercy that's in the works. If you're interested, it's called Not Afraid of the Dark, and if you want to know what it's about, there's 5 songs that I listen to while writing it.

Only Hope - Mandy Moore

Full Moon - Sonata Arctica

Paradise - Coldplay

Darkside - Ty Dolla $ign

Nirvana - Adam Lambert

I kid you not, these are on repeat when I'm in the zone for that story.

Anywho, enough about me. Thanks for reading, don't forget to fave/follow if you haven't already, and leave a review! (Or don't, no pressure). I'll see you guys next time.


	19. Part 2 - Chapter 7

Everyone was ecstatic to see Lucy, and she them. Natsu stood back as she was bombarded with hugs and multiple questions about how she was, what she's been doing, how's she's been doing, and well wishes. Lucy took everything as she normally would, with enthusiasm and love for each person.

But something was still off for Natsu. There was Lucy, but, at the same time, it wasn't. His eyebrows creased as he frowned trying to figure out what was so...wrong.

"Frown any harder, and your face will stay like that."

Natsu blinked and looked behind him, coming face to face with Erza in all her armored glory. She sat on the stool next to him, both resuming watching Lucy, Natsu choosing to keep quiet about his suspicions. No need getting everyone riled up just because he had a feeling.

"I'm surprised you're not over there getting your Lucy time as well."

"Well I don't want to be selfish. She wants to see everyone else too."

"This coming from the man who once would _bite_ anyone who came near her after she had been gone for just a week to visit Laxus in the capital. This time she was kidnapped, turned into a Servant, and left us for almost a year. And yet here you sit, alone with a frown on your face."

Natsu kept silent, unable to come up with a good explanation without revealing too much. She continued.

"Is it because she's a Servant now? You're not nervous, are you? Does she stink of vampires that bad?"

"No. She doesn't smell weird at all."

He blinked and sat up straight. Erza had a point; Lucy _should_ smell like vampires. As a servant, she should _reek,_ no offense intended, and that didn't include the fact that she'd been within the vicinity of vampires for over a year. Now Natsu was even more suspicious, but he didn't want to raise a fuss in the middle of the guild. What if he was wrong, and that was Lucy, and he really was just coming up with excuses to not be around her?

No. He's always been on Lucy's side, no matter what. Something _had_ to be wrong.

"I need to get some air," he muttered as he stood abruptly. Turning on his heel, he quickly made his way out of the guild, ignoring Ezra's warnings that the Master still wanted him to stay. He couldn't stay, not when his mind was running a million miles a minute, trying to find some reason why things were happening the way they were.

He stomped down the path he and Gray had just walked up not ten minutes ago, and he was so involved in his own thoughts that he didn't realize there was a figure standing in his way. He didn't realize until he was a few feet away, and he heard his name calling him.

"Natsu."

He stopped and stared. Brandy stood, her face an expression of worry. She called his name, not Salamander, and he hated to admit just then that he liked the way it sounded when she said it, without scorn or malice.

"I have to tell you something," she continued, taking a step forward.

Natsu remained still, letting her come to him.

"Lucy's back," he said, his voice cracking.

"Yes, I know." She spoke with urgency, but Natsu couldn't bring himself to share that urgency. He hit his lip as the different emotions started to whirl around in his mind, frustrating him.

He couldn't pinpoint exactly what was causing the sudden flare of energy inside him, but the longer he stared at the vampire in front of him, the more betrayed he started to feel. He felt they had gotten closer over the year, maybe, dare he say, even become friends. Marin's warning from earlier jumped to the front of his mind, and he became protective of Lucy.

Was Brandy part of whatever Marin warned about? Was that why she was there? She was powerful, but could she take down the entire guild? Narrowing his eyes, he slowly reached into his coat. Brandy's eyes followed his hand, but remained as calm as a wary feline.

"Natsu listen to me."

"You're not getting her," he warned. Whether the woman inside the guild felt like his Lucy or not, she _was_ still _Lucy_ , and he'd honestly pick his best friend, who he grew up with, over a _vampire,_ who, it seemed, didn't think this last year meant as much to _it_ as it did for him.

It was his childhood all over again. Before he found Fairy Tail, before Lucy was brought to them, before he and his best friend at the time forced Lucy to train with them. He trusted a vampire, and she seduced and killed his father, and now it was going to happen to him. Brandish was going to kill him, and then go after Lucy. He couldn't let that happen.

He pulled out his gun and pointed it at the vampire before him.

"I'm onto you," he growled, the ever feared Salamander the Hunter coming out while the ever easygoing Natsu laid back to watch. "Marin told me enough to prosecute you, him, your _king_ , and every fucking _vampire_ I come across."

"Marin?" She kept her hands up but glanced to side in confusion. "I haven't seen him in weeks. What did he tell you?"

Natsu chuckled. "Of course you're going to play innocent now that I know what's going on and you have a gun pointed to your head. All right. Let me _refresh_ your memory. There's a party waiting for her; she's been causing trouble, and no one is too happy about it, so they're going to 'take care of her.' Oh, and that you already know about it."

"Natsu, you know I would never betray my king like that, or you."

"I don't know. I thought we might have patched up some issues between us, but a few months of peace is nothing compared to years of rivalry. You hate Lucy, you hate me. The only reason you put up with me is because Lucy is my best friend, and she's still held captive by your king. She's here, but she's forced to serve him for the rest of her life. God, I ought to kill you now just for associating with that psycho."

He pulled back on the hammer, interrupting the quiet around them with a loud click. They sat in silence for a moment, both waiting for the gun to go off, but Natsu held still. He seemed torn between wanting to hear her out, and just killing her and getting it over with. Biting his bottom lip, he knew he wouldn't kill her. The two of them _had_ grown closer over the year. Not to mention he had half a mind of letting her pass him and see if she would do something to the Lucy inside the guild so he could see why Lucy seemed so different.

Just as he was about to lower his arm, a flash brightened the sky behind Brandish, towards town, quickly followed by a loud explosion. He jumped, just as the vampire spun around to watch the cloud of smoke rise into the sky. It was followed by two more, from separate ends of the city. Natsu moved to run toward town, but Brandy grabbed him and shoved him into the trees next to the road, just as a fourth explosion was set off closer to them.

Natsu pushed the vampire off him as he set his eyes on the guild behind them, now engulfed in flames as debris rain from the sky. Tears filled his eyes as he thought of all inside. Had anyone escaped?

 _Gray, Erza, Mira, Lisanna..._

 _What the hell happened?_ He cried out as he tried to push Brandy off him, wanting to run to the burning building and save anyone who might still be inside. Brandy was too strong for him, though, as she ended up pulling him away.

"What the hell are you doing!?" he demanded, using all his strength to fight her off so he could get to guild. "I have to help them!"

"Are you crazy?" the vampire shrieked, already feeling the effects of the heat of the fire on her skin, though they were still far enough away that the human she held onto couldn't feel it. "No one survived that. We need to get out of here!"

Grabbing her shoulders, Natsu turned his tear stained face toward her. She paused at the pained expression he showed her, unable to bring herself to keep him away. He had never shown her such emotion, and the heartbreak he was clearly feeling struck right to her own unbeating heart, and she found herself loosening her hold.

"I can't go in with you," she whispered, having to bring her face closer to his so he could hear her. She found herself choking as she inhaled the smoke, heat, and his tears. " _Please_ be careful. I'll wait for you here."

He nodded, giving her a quick hug in gratitude, and pushed off her to stumble back to the guild. Heat never seemed to bother him, fire was his favorite tool of destruction, so as he got closer, he wouldn't hide himself away as another smaller explosion was set off inside, part of the guild collapsing. Sparks flew about as something inside fell, and Natsu could feel himself growing nervous. Not for himself, but those he left inside.

 _Master…_

As he made his way to the front door, he saw that it had been forced open, probably due from the blast, and it swung in the flames. He could see inside, but all that was visible was more fire. He tore off his coat and placed it against his mouth and nose. He couldn't help imagining the carnage he would find when he finally made it inside. He hated how that was where his mind traveled, not that there could be any chance that anyone survived.

 _Lucy…?_

Just as he stepped up to the entrance, his vision was engulfed in red, orange, and yellow as the fire raged around inside...around a lone figure standing in the middle of the main room of the guild. Natsu let his jacket slowly fall as he tried to come to terms with what he saw.

Lucy stood, the fire licking her clothes and body, but not burning her. She faced him, her face a picture of amusement, her expression having not changed since he last saw her before he stepped outside. In a trance, Natsu took a step towards her, but was pulled back forcefully right before a beam fell and almost hit him. He pushed Brandy off him and turned to run after Lucy, but the beam had cut off his path to her, and when he looked around, he saw she disappeared.

He contemplated running in after her, but the sound of coughing behind him stopped him. He spun to see Brandy on her back on the ground, holding her arms against her chest as she coughed and tried keep away from the heat. Suddenly feeling guilty for making her come so close to the fire to save him, he immediately bent to pick her up. She was lighter than he expected as he carried her away from the fire.

He brought her down to the end of the lane, stopping only to glance back at the guild one last time. He wanted to go back, but he had to get the girl in his arms to safety first. He knew he could save her, especially since she hurt herself saving him. With a vow to return, he set off towards her flower shop.

* * *

AN: Happy 2018, everyone! I hope this year brings joy and fun and all things good for everyone. Any special resolutions? I haven't thought about it myself, except to finish this story! That shouldn't be hard, though. I've got the ending all outlined out, I just have to sit and type it. Not much longer now. Anywho, thanks for reading! And I'll see you all for the next chapter!


	20. Part 2 - Chapter 8

Lucy sighed into her drink as Laxus sat down next to her. He brought her to a quiet bar a few blocks away from the cathedral in the center of the city, far enough from the guild so no one would recognize either of them, yet still close enough so Laxus could return to the guild quickly should he be called. They had been there for awhile yet, and neither person spoke beyond simple drink orders. She knew she had to tell him everything, but ran through so many different ways to bring up the topic in her mind, she was still unsure which option was the best.

Laxus cleared his throat, causing her to jump. He opened his mouth to start speaking but she wasn't ready yet, so she blurted the first thing that came to her mind.

"How's work?" Immediately she put her glass to her lips. She had spoken a little too loudly that a few of the other patrons turned to glare at her for ruining their quiet atmosphere. Laxus chuckled and shook his head, placing his large hand on her head.

"Busy," he replied. "We've been following a vigilante for the last few months. You know how much we love vigilantes at the knights."

Biting her bottom lip, she already suspected his answer, but had to ask anyway, "Do you know who it is?"

"No clue," he responded sarcastically, leveling her with narrowed eyes. "But from investigating we found out that it's a woman, presumably close with vampires to know of their illegal secrets. A few weeks ago we just barely missed her when she raided a seemingly legal and peaceful hive."

"Seemingly?" She matched his look for one of her own.

"Hm. Upon further investigation they were kidnapping children and using them for experiments and dark magic."

"Sounds like those bastards got what the deserved, then." She looked away, throwing back her drink.

Lowering his head, he moved closer to her. "I'm not going to turn you in," he whispered. "As much as I'm going against the oath I took when I joined the knights, you come first. But, and I'm using the big brother card here, I need you to stop."

"How do you know it was me?"

"Gramps has told me everything Natsu tells him. It's why I was called here, to discuss what we're going to do with you."

"I can't stop, Laxus." Lucy stared wide eyed, almost offended he would even ask that of her. "I have this new power, and I can't just sit back while assholes get away with doing sick shit. This has been my life since I was a kid."

"I know, me too. But I can't promise I can protect you if you finally get caught."

"I won't get caught."

"He can't protect you, either." Laxus's voice had rose in annoyance when she wouldn't just concede with him. He hadn't meant to raise his voice, but he felt like he was dealing with a child who had just been told she couldn't have a cookie before dinner. He also hadn't meant to bring up the metaphorical elephant in the room before she did, but he had to.

Lucy bit her lip and leaned back, the room seeming to be suddenly silent, as if everyone else in the bar was waiting for her explosion. She wanted to, but she also didn't want anyone to read too much into what she wanted to say.

The ice had finally been broken, and she was being forced to talk about her life with Zeref. With the way Laxus snapped at her, she wasn't sure if delving deeper into this conversation was wise, but she had to. He was right, though. If she was caught, no one would be able to keep her out of jail, or worse. She defended him anyway.

"There's more vampires than humans on the council," she mumbled. "You don't know that."

"I do. They don't care if he's the supposed 'savior' of their kind." Laxus even had the nerve to finger air quotes, to which Lucy couldn't blame him. She thought that ideal was a load of crap too. "You're killing vampires, illegally, and that's all that matters to them."

"I'm not going to stop."

"What does he think of it?"

"He's the one encouraging it." A small smile made its way onto her lips as she thought about Zeref and his support of what she's doing. "Yeah, they raised him in hopes of him liberating them, but he just wants peace. He's not going to start a war, like they wanted. He just wants to live peacefully, away from all this madness."

"And what do you want?"

Biting her lip, she leaned back and stared at her now empty glass. That was the sixty-four thousand dollar question, wasn't it? Had she really thought about that at all? Before, everything was so simple, and that was how she wanted things. Wake up, go to the guild, pick up a warrant for someone's arrest, finish the job, and be back at the guild in time for dinner and leisure just to wake up the next day and do it all over again.

When she was first kidnapped, all she wanted was to go back to that. She didn't want to be connected to a vampire in any way, but as time went by and she began to accept Zeref and the way her life was supposed to be now, everything she wanted had changed. But to what?

Laxus reached across the table and gently placed a hand on her arm, bringing her gaze up to his concerned face.

"Are you happy?" he whispered. "Forget about the council, for a minute. Forget about the guild and the other vampires...are you happy with him?"

Without hesitation she nodded. She was enjoying every minute she spent with Zeref.

"Then that's all that matters to me."

A soft chiming sounded as Lucy snorted a laugh.

"When did you become such a sap?" She questioned as Laxus took out his phone.

Shrugging, Laxus turned his phone off and chuckled. "I guess the capital is doing things to me."

"Don't you need to get that?" She asked as he put the little device away. Ever since he was promoted in the knights, everyone knew how important his job was to him. She was happy that he put her first, but ignoring a call on his work phone was probably killing him.

"It's fine," he dismissed. "They should know by now not to contact me when I'm visiting home."

"When are you going to get a girlfriend?"

Jumping again as his phone went off, Laxus grabbed it and shook his head. "Lahar certainly acts like a girlfriend." He was going to ignore the call again when Lucy waved her hands at him.

"You go ahead and take it," she assured. "He must be desperate to get a hold of you."

"You sure?" He had his thumb hovering over the answer button as Lucy nodded and stood.

"Yeah. I have to go to the bathroom anyway. I'll be right back. Don't keep him waiting."

She might have jumped from her seat and rushed to the bathroom faster than she should have when trying to be nonchalant about it, but there was a nervousness in the pit of her stomach knowing he was going to answer a call from his boss while sitting at a table with her, a "wanted" woman.

She also couldn't stop smiling. That's all that matters. He pretty much told her that as long as she was happy, so was he. And she really was. When she finally stopped denying her and Zeref's unconventional relationship, she was able to embrace the way her life was going to be. As much as taking the law into her own hands frightened her in the beginning, she was willing to appreciate how indiscriminate Zeref was. He wasn't just targeting vampires, but humans as well, wishing for everyone to live as peacefully as humans and vampires could be. They could coexist.

Granted there will never be true peace, it was a start. She's lived her whole life fighting and killing vampires, so it wasn't like she could give up just because someone asked her to, but taking care of the illegals was what she was going to keep doing. Whenever someone told her to stop, all she had to do was envision that little girl's body a few weeks ago, and she would renew her vow that as long as she had the power, it was her duty to stop those experiments.

Lucy stood in the bathroom for a few minutes to give Laxus some time, before she decided to leave. She loved spending alone time with him; it reminded her of her childhood. When he first brought her to Fairy Tail, she was terrified, and, needless to say, wouldn't leave his side. Looking back now, she felt bad for poor teenage Laxus, but he never let on that she was truly a nuisance. Sure, he complained about his new shadow, but no matter how many times he tried to push her away, they both knew it was all for show.

When she was training with the other kids, Laxus always had to be near her. Natsu was jealous, naturally, but he soon warmed up to Lucy after an incident where Natsu pushed her, angry that she seemed to be taking Laxus away from him. Laxus ended up beating Natsu -and since the boy is a few years older than her, it didn't hurt him too bad - and almost immediately Natsu forced himself into Lucy's life she always had a suspicion that Laxus had a talk with him - though neither would admit it - and that was how she and the other boy became almost inseparable.

It nearly broke Lucy's heart when Laxus took a job working for the knights in the capital, but he still kept in touch.

Closing the bathroom door, she leaned against it, glancing down the hall toward the main room. Holding up her hand, she let a small orb of light form in her palm. Other than Natsu, Laxus was the one she was most worried about. Maybe, when they were younger and this happened, he would have a different opinion. He told her that as long as she was happy that was all that mattered. It was amazing how much everyone had grown-up and matured. And here she was, worried about them hating her, when she shouldn't have thought about that. Her guild mates wouldn't care that she was with Zeref, just as long as she came home.

Sighing, she pushed herself up and turned toward the main room, but as she took a step, an arm was wrapped around her neck, pulling her back. She immediately began struggling, bucking and kicking at whoever was behind her, wherever her hits would connect. Her attacker was able to hold on, taking blow for blow like she was merely tapping them, not making an impact at all. The other person was strong, stronger even than her newfound strength she gained as Zeref's servant. She stopped moving, the person pulling her towards the back exit when she held out her palm and called upon her offensive magic.

As soon as her hand started glowing, the person behind her pulled something out of their pocket and shoved a cloth against the bottom half of her face, covering her mouth and nose. Almost immediately her magic was suppressed, and her body fell limp. She recognized the tranquilizer instantly, knowing she'd used it a few times herself; it was strong enough to knock out the strongest vampire, so when used against a human it usually killed them. She wondered briefly what would happen to her since she was no longer human, but not a vampire.

She felt her attacker bend down and put their arm under her knees, picking her up as she was quickly losing consciousness. She was aware of being led outside, but the moment the air hit her skin, she was out.

Pocketing his phone, Laxus sighed as he fell back into his chair. Biting his lip, he slowly brought his drink to his mouth. It tasted sour as it went down, but he pushed through it. Glancing around, he noticed Lucy hadn't returned yet, which was probably for the best. He had just been given the orders to arrest her, and, while he knew how much trouble they'd both be in if he stalled, the least he could do was take her back to guild before turning her in.

She slid gracefully into her stool as he scratched the back of his head. He hadn't seen her emerge from the bathroom, but his mind was elsewhere so he wouldn't blame himself for missing that bit.

"Important call?" She asked, her voice low, like she didn't want anyone listening in.

Taking another sigh, he debated whether to tell her now or wait. If he said something now, she could easily give him the slip and run. But would she? To be honest, he didn't know anymore.

"I think it's time we head back to the guild," he announced, standing up and throwing money on the table. Had he paid already? He couldn't remember.

"Is something wrong?" She stared up at him with wide eyes, but stood as well. Immediately she wrapped her arms around his own, and he lifted an eyebrow at this. She hadn't clung to him like this since she was a kid. Did she know?

"No," he said, his eyebrows furrowing. "I just think it's about time you faced your family."

Her mouth widened to a bright smile and she nodded. "I think I'm ready now."

Taking another deep breath, he shook his head. "Lucy-"

His confession was cut short as the ground rumbled and a loud thunder sounded in the distance. While explosions weren't as rare in Magnolia as one might think (especially since Natsu started experimenting with explosives), Laxus still felt the need to run out and make sure it at least wasn't big enough to be destructive.

Just as he pulled back from Lucy to run outside, she tightened her his on him and kept him in his place. Looking down at her, he was about to question her still smiling expression, when the next thing he saw was her skin glow. He barely had enough time to try to warn the other patrons in the bar before he was pushed away from the girl as her body exploded. He hit the brick wall hard, and his body fell to the ground. Pain shot through his body and knew something was broken.

He coughed as dust, heat, and blood filled his lungs. He was only barely aware of other people shouting, while his eardrums were ringing from the sound. He quickly glanced up to check if what he had just seen was true - Did Lucy really blow up like dynamite? - but he was flooded with confusion when he saw her standing right where he left her, that smile still on her face. He opened his mouth to call to her, but just as he did, her body grew bright again, and he had enough time to put his arm up in front of his face before her body exploded in flame again, effectively silencing the screaming patrons of the bar, and causing the roof to crumble.

AN: Sorry it's taken so long to get this up. Work has been killer, draining both physical and emotional energy, and it really has taken the time since I posted the last chapter till now to finish this one. I've tried going over it multiple times to make it flow better, have better descriptions, and just sound better in general, but this is all I can do right now. So I don't blame you if you don't like this chapter, cuz I don't either. I realized, as I started working on the next chapter, that I'm enjoying writing Natsu in part 2, because I just started the chapter like...yesterday...and I'm already almost finished. Each character had a transition from part one to two, and I have to say I like how Natsu has grown. So look forward to the next chapter soon. Things at work have slowed down, and I'm finally becoming energized and less exhausted.

Dint forget to fave and follow and review, and thanks for reading. (All questions you may have will be answered in time, I promise!)


	21. Part 2 - Chapter 9

Natsu paced in front the sofa in Brandy's apartment, his head filling with questions of what happened. Well, he _knew_ what happened, but _what_ the _fuck._ As he was helping Brandy through the city, he noticed fires dancing all throughout town, scattered like each area was targeted. Probably was. Fairy Tail, Kardia Cathedral, even those assholes in Twilight Ogre had been hit, not to mention various businesses and houses.

He wished Brandy had a TV, and, more importantly, a damned kitchen would be nice. He needed a drink.

Names and images were plaguing his mind, and he suddenly felt a heavy weight on his back. He fell onto the sofa with a heavy breath, and placed his palms to his eyes, pressing tightly as if it would help take away everything he saw. It didn't help, and it only made his eyes water as he imagined his friends - family - burning. Everything and everyone he ever loved was just _gone._ Why had Lucy done that? He _knew_ that woman, and she would have _never_ harmed anyone of Fairy Tail.

He held onto the hope that maybe someone he wasn't aware of was out on a job, but that was wishful thinking. Everyone was there.

 _Laxus…_

Laxus had left right before everything happened. He would be okay. Natsu had to find Laxus…

A hand was gently placed on his shoulder, causing him to jump up. He had been so involved in his own frustration and sadness he hadn't noticed Brandy sitting next to him. He blinked at her, taking in her lack of expression and pinked, healing flesh, and he wanted to explode. He sat still long enough for her to notice his unshed tears, leaping off the couch the moment she moved her hand towards his face, and kept his back to her.

There was one thing in his mind that made any sense to him in that moment.

"What did you do to her?" He growled, fists clenched at his sides. He couldn't promise he wouldn't strike at her if she gave him the opportunity.

Brandish didn't pretend to not know what he meant. "Nothing."

"Bullshit!" He whirled on her, grabbing her shoulders and pressing her down against the back of the couch. He ignored her wince as he roughly jostled her burns. "She was _perfect_ , and then you assholes stole her from me! I don't give a damn what she was to you. She was _my_ friend, _my_ partner, my _everything_ , and now she's gone! Fairy Tail is gone! And it's all your fault."

"Should I be concerned?"

The two jumped, Natsu spinning to find the real source of his misery, the vampire who started it all. It didn't even bother him that these vampires were able to sneak up on him. He was seeing red in his fury.

"Your Majesty," Brandish acknowledged, rising to stand next to Natsu.

"I heard the blasts," Zeref stated, promptly ignoring whatever was going on between one of his officers and the Hunter. "I can't find her."

Natsu felt his eyes widen. He didn't care that Lucy spent the last year with this _thing_ , it had no right to have any concern for the blonde. If it wasn't for this bastard, she would still be alive and _happy_ , and still living with her family.

He felt his heart rate quicken as he imagined what her life would have been had she not been sucked into this mess. The two vampires were discussing something, but it was just wordless mumbling to him.

His body jerked slightly, and he cast his narrowed eyes at Brandy. She raised her brows and placed a hand on his shoulder, to which his body shivered and he fought the urge to shove her off.

"You're not okay." It wasn't a question, and Natsu didn't feel like it needed an answer. Of course he wasn't okay. He glanced around them and he was suddenly starting to feel stifled. He had to leave.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

Natsu's eyes found Zeref again, and he scoffed. He didn't owe anyone any answers, but he would love to rub it in that vampire's face.

"I don't know," the human answered after a few moments of silence. "And I don't owe you anything." He pushed Brandy's hand from his shoulder, not apologizing if it was too rough or not, and made a move to leave. Zeref stood in his way and refused to give him his space, which was fine. Natsu wanted a fight anyway.

He stepped up to the vampire, putting inches between them.

"Out of my way," he growled. His fists clenched and unclenched, waiting for the perfect moment to hit the bastard right in his pretty face.

"And where do you plan to go?" The other asked, clearly unaffected.

Natsu opened his mouth to answer, but Brandy beat him to it.

"You should stay," she suggested.

"Why would I do that?" Natsu asked, keeping his eyes on the vampire before him.

"You mentioned Marin before."

This made him turn. He narrowed his eyes at her, waiting for her to make her point. Marin was the one who originally warned that something was going to happen, so the reminder didn't exactly have a calming effect.

"Marin is blood-bound to me," she continued. "He cannot lie, betray, or hide from me. If what you told me before is true, then I need to know who stole my servant from me."

Natsu crossed his arms over his chest. Blood-bound, a term used when a servant becomes a vampire, literally meant that the master vampire could control the lesser to do what they willed. He didn't exactly trust that Brandy had no knowledge of what Marin was talking about, especially if she could command his betrayal, and he would deny Brandy's involvement even under intense and inhumane torture methods.

Then again, as Brandy implied, it was also possible for the lesser to be "stolen" by a stronger master. She was strong, but by no means was she the strongest vampire Natsu had encountered. There weren't many, vampires were vain creatures, and, whether they preferred their privacy they also loved to brag about their prowess. It was rare for a vampire to hide their strength; the first vampire to do so, that Natsu knew, was the one standing silently behind him.

Taking that last thought into consideration, Natsu finally let himself calm a bit to at least think clearly. He took a deep breath before asking, "Do you have any idea who could steal him?"

"I know who _could_ ," she answered. "But I'm curious on who _would._ He's not exactly smart, strong, or reliable. I don't let him know my secrets. He literally just runs the flower shop, and quite poorly."

"Then, Brandish, you go find your vampire." Zeref spoke from behind Natsu. Natsu and Brandy turned to the king, but he was staring at the wall beyond them, his eyes focusing on something neither of them could see. Brandy bowed her head and acquiesced, Natsu put his hands on his hips. "I'm going back to Fairy Tail to see if I can find traces of Lucy."

"I'm coming with you," the hauman demanded instantly.

"I do not need your assistance," Zeref replied, looking the human up and down, sizing him up. He didn't forget the first time they met he easily overpowered the man. What good would he be in a fight between vampires?

"I'm not _requesting_ to assist you. I'm going. If there's any trace of someone surviving, then I'm going to find them." He kept his knowledge of Laxus not being there to himself. Honestly, he had no idea where Laxus went, just that he wasn't at Fairy Tail.

Zeref raised an eyebrow at Natsu's demanding demeanor, but nodded after a moment. "If that is what you wish, you may tag along." He turned and left the room without another word.

Scoffing, Natsu followed, glancing back at Brandy once more before he left. She wasn't looking at them, but she wore a look of remorse. Natsu could only guess to why she would be looking like that. Could Marin's betrayal really affect her like that? He suddenly wanted to say something, something to lift her spirits, but he had no clue what he would say.

"You better hurry," she whispered suddenly, looking up at him. "My King won't wait for you."

Growling slightly, Natsu quickly hurried off to catch up with the ancient vampire, relieved the creature didn't use super speed or flight or anything else ridiculously overpowered to leave him behind.

It astonished him how quickly the fire was put out, granted, not quick enough for the building to be saved, but given the amount of time he had been gone it _looked_ like he'd been away for weeks. Everything was black, burnt to the core. The support beams were the only things still standing, raising into the night sky like decrepit chimneys, smoke slowly floating up.

There were people walking around, firefighters lifting debris, looking for survivors, looking for the cause. Natsu remembered wanting to be one of those guys, putting out fires, running into burning buildings to rescue victims and come out the hero. He always imagined their jobs to be more noble than the life of a hunter. For a moment, he wondered if he had chased his dream, if things had been different, would he have been fast enough to save anyone here?

Zeref walked among the firefighters like he belonged there, quietly stepping on burnt wood and hardly making a sound, stopping every so often to inspect a spot he deemed interesting. He called someone over every once in awhile, but that was all he offered; his focus was on one thing, and finding Lucy. Natsu wished he could possess the same intensity, but he didn't think he could handle accidentally finding something - someone - he knew. He clenched his fists as he remained at the border of the burnt building.

A soft hand was placed on his lower back, and he glanced to his side to find one ray of hope in this dark disaster. Makarov stood, his shoulders tense, standing as straight as his small, elderly body could. Natsu wanted to cry, but just as he felt his eyes burning, the old man spoke.

"It's going to be a long time before we - before Magnolia forgets or forgives what happened today."

The moment he mentioned the city's name, Natsu glanced behind him to the smoke hovering over the other buildings. It hung low, some of the taller ones towards the middle of the city but visible. He had almost forgotten about the rest of the city.

"What happened?" He asked in a whisper.

Makarov cleared his throat as he retracted his hand and held both behind his back. "A traitorous act that will not be taken lightly."

Natsu widened his eyes at his master's words. "Lucy-"

"Had nothing to do with this. Chances are she was probably never here to begin with."

"She was."

"That wasn't her," a new voice joined. Zeref stood before the two hunters, one hand up, palm skyward, his red eyes focusing on a spot just above his skin that the two humans couldn't see. "I feel her presence here, but it's very faint. It's probably been hours."

"But she was here," Natsu tried to convince. "I saw her in the fire."

He went ignored by the other two. Makarov cleared his throat to get the vampire's attention. When the red eyes focused on him, he narrowed his own in response.

"You must be the king I've heard so much about."

Zeref only lowered his hand in response.

"I am - was - the master here. On any other occasion, I'd be offended you would have the nerve to show up here."

"My angel mentioned you," the vampire responded, seemingly unaffected by the old man's words. "You helped raise her. My deepest gratitude to keeping her safe after the attempt on her life as a child."

Natsu glared at the vampire as he lowered his head towards Makarov. He wanted to call bullshit on the king's sudden manner. He wanted Makarov to take this beast's head off. He wanted to get back to Lucy.

"I didn't do it for your sake," the old man replied. "A scared little girl needed me, so I helped her. The only reason I don't kill you now where you stand is for her." He too a deep breath and his body relaxed, almost like was aging years right before their eyes. "And because I know that, while this wouldn't have happened if not for you, you had no control over it." He stepped past Zeref to take in the ruins before him again, the other two watching him quietly. "The Council is full of crooked politicians, pretending to care for the citizens they govern and the laws to uphold, but every one of them has a deeper, darker plan they've been working on in the shadows."

"Everyone knows that, Master," Natsu mumbled, not wanting to speak too loudly in case someone heard.

"Yes, but the this time they've gone too far." Without worrying about people around them, Makarov turned back to the two, and continued speaking normally. "This time they've hurt me personally. They attacked Magnolia, and Fairy Tail. They've killed innocent people, hurt others, and wrongfully arrested one of my children. They will pay for this."

Natsu felt lost, and looking at the vampire next to him, could tell he was as well. Makarov noticed this, and sighed, rubbing his hand over his white hair.

"Laxus sent me a message right before all this." His voice had grown quiet, and Natsu could feel his fists clenched again as the old man turned back to the burnt building. "He told me that he had Lucy with him, and that he had been given orders to arrest her. He was going to bring her by the guild for a bit before he did so, but before I could say anything the explosions started."

"So Laxus has her," Natsu concluded, a small ray of hope shining through, but it was quickly dimmed as his master shook his head.

"The council took her before they attacked the city. I ran straight to where he said they were, but the bar was already destroyed. I don't know what exactly happened, but I heard rumors through town that a woman with blonde hair was the cause of it all."

"Why would they want Lucy?" Natsu asked, keeping quiet. "And if she wasn't here, then who was _that_?" He didn't have to clarify.

"An imposter. They placed fakes all over the city, and whoever they were set off the explosions. The council had been trailing her for months. I just never imagined-"

Without a word, Zeref turned and started walking away. Natsu called out to him, interrupting Makarov.

"Where the hell are you going?"

Pausing, the vampire glanced behind him, holding his hand up again. "He said the council has her. I'm going to get her back."

Natsu scoffed as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You're going to take on the council all by yourself? No offense, but I doubt even you're that strong."

"I don't need to be stronger than them. I am their king. They will obey me."

"I'm afraid Natsu is right," Makarov added, stepping back up next to the boy. "At this point it's not about how strong you are, or how loyal you think they are. All of this has happened for a reason. They resurrected you for a reason, and I don't think it's so you can rule over the vampires again." He paused to gauge their reactions. "It's something Laxus and I had been looking into since he found out she'd been targeted."

"What are you thinking?" Natsu asked.

"They claimed they wanted to arrest her for committing crimes, but, if that were true then they wouldn't need to go to such lengths." The old man started walking toward the vampire.

"What does that mean?" Natsu pressed.

"It means they took her because of me," the vampire stated, watching as the old man walked up to him. When Makarov nodded, the vampire clenched his fist as his eyes began glowing brighter. Natsu reached for his gun on his belt, having never seen glowing eyes before, and his master was walking right towards it. "They want to use her to control me."

"Exactly. Any harm they do to her will affect you as well. We need a plan."

"We?" Natsu asked, raising his eyebrow and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yes, Natsu." He turned to Natsu, and the boy saw an anger in the old man's eyes that wasn't there before. "They killed our family, destroyed our home...I won't sit back and let them get away with it. They're going to pay."

Nodding, Natsu eagerly agreed. "All right. Let's head back to Brandy's and see if she made contact with Marin."

"We can act as soon as we hear what he has to say."

A low growl sounded between them, and the two humans cautiously glanced to the vampire.

"Does his _Highness_ have an objection?" Natsu asked, feigning curiosity.

"We know who took her and where she is. Why do we need to waste our time with that blood traitor?"

"Normally I'd agree, but this is the _council_. They're scary enough to allies, there's no telling what they have for enemies."

"Natsu's right. We need more information before we go storming their castle."

The vampire king's eyes moved to each man as they spoke, his face remaining expressionless, save for those glowing eyes. After a few moments, he raised his gaze upwards. Following its movements, Natsu could see how close to dawn it already was, the sky already showing hints of light from the sun.

"Very well," the king replied, bringing Natsu's attention back towards it. "We have until dusk, but then I'm going whether we have information or not."

Nodding in agreement, the three of them quickly headed back to Brandy's place. Natsu didn't want to admit that, while he was as anxious to get Lucy back as the king was, he was glad they decided to head back for Brandy. He knew she had skills they could utilize that would bring their chance of success from near zero to highly probable. The council was expecting the king, so just them alone wouldn't be able to do much.

They made it to the female's apartment just before the sun rose, to find Brandy with her vampire in the back room, both already covered in blood, though Natsu guessed none of it was hers. They told her their plan to leave at dusk, and she readily agreed.

Leaving the body of Marin, she escorted her guests down to her underground apartments, which was actually larger than Natsu first noticed. He was concerned for Makarov, hoping the old man wouldn't feel paranoid staying there, but he assured Natsu that he was going to be fine.

"Just because I'm old doesn't mean I won't dismember any threat sneaking into my room." He ended with a nod in the direction the female vampire left them, going to her own room. "You trust her, and so shall I."

Rubbing the back of his neck, Natsu nodded. He knew the old man probably needed his rest, but he didn't feel right just leaving him alone, especially when he, himself, didn't want to be alone. So many things had happened in the last twenty-four hours that Natsu wasn't at all sure how to wrap his mind around it all.

A hand was placed on his arm, and he blinked down at the master.

"Go get some sleep, son. We all need rest now."

"Master..." He sighed, unsure of what to say. This man before him was holding it together better than Natsu, who was mere moments from punching holes in the walls, crying his eyes out, and setting the world on fire. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"It's not your fault, boy."

But he felt like it was. He _knew_ that Lucy didn't feel right, despite not being around her for over a year. He should have said something, _done_ something to prove his instincts correct. He should have believed Lucy when she first voiced her concerns, then maybe she wouldn't have run off and none of this would have happened. He should have stopped Marin before Gray showed up and demanded he spill everything that he knew _then_ and _there._ He should have-

"Natsu."

Blinking, Natsu looked down at his master again, who had both hands wrapped around Natsu's clenched fist. Taking a deep breath, unaware that he lost himself in his thoughts, Natsu relaxed his fist.

" _It's not your fault_ ," he repeated. "What happened is a tragedy that will, unfortunately, live with us for the rest of our lives. I'm usually not one for revenge, but they deserve it, don't you think? We lost everyone, but she's still alive. She's counting on us to save her, and bring her home."

There was so much that Natsu wanted to say, but he held his tongue. He doubted she was sitting, wherever she was, waiting for _them._ She was probably waiting for a certain vampire who was anxiously waiting in his own room to rescue her. He doubted she even knew what happened, and if she did, she probably thought he was dead along with everyone else.

Instead of voicing his doubts, Natsu nodded. Usually he was the optimistic one, but even he found it hard to look on the bright side of these events.

Makarov let go of Natsu's hand, moving to hold the door. "Get some rest," he advised, closing the door.

Nasty started at the wood for a moment before heading towards his own room a little way down the hall, which happened to be near Brandy's own rooms. He contemplated going to her, feeling the need to comfort her in her own time of tragedy. He wasn't a fool, he knew she had ended Marin's life - it was the only way to free one from a blood bond from one so strong.

He stopped himself from grading the knob, a sense of caution slowly filling his body. The image of Marin, slumped in the chair just upstairs, reminded him just who he was about to visit. Again, all the events from this night came rushing back. He couldn't find the strength to complete opening the door, so he let go. It wasn't her fault, but the betrayal he felt from before wouldn't let him go any further.

He just needed Lucy back. Everything will go back to normal when his best friend was by his side once again. He, Makarov, and Lucy could rebuild Fairy Tail, rebuild Magnolia, and they could all go back to how things were before.

Lucy was the key to his happiness.

Turning away, he went into his own room. Everything would be okay once the balance between vampires and hunters was reestablished. He and Brandy could go back to being enemies, Makarov would be like everyone's father again, and he and Lucy would retake their spots as the number one team in all of Fiore.

He just hoped they would succeed. No, they will succeed. The council would regret the day they hurt Fairy Tail.

* * *

AN: I don't know why I'm having such a hard time with these chapters lately. Maybe it's because I'm getting close to the end and u just don't want it to? It needs to end, though, so I can go back and rewrite it and try to make it more of how I wanted it to be in the first place. Anywho, thanks for reading, and don't forget to follow and fave, if you haven't already.


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